Tapping Fingers
by yesfangirlingismylife
Summary: Detective Tris Prior is one of Chicago's finest. Vigilante Four is one Chicago's most troubling characters out there. He acts as a superhero, of sorts. Tris is assigned to catch him and lock him up for the act of vigilantism. Meanwhile, Officer Tobias Eaton and Tris have become good friends. Little did she know these men would drive her mad. "Even when I hate you, I love you."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

Tris was walking to work as if it were any normal day—which it wasn't, and she was aware of that. She walked past the local coffee shop, smelling the delicious cakes, coffees, and creams, then the gym blasting encouraging, outrageously loud music, some houses, little shops, a park with screaming, adorable children, and finally, work.

The lovely station of the Chicago P.D. was pretty nice; they'd just reopened the new station. It was ten times classier than their old one.

Tris walked in getting many "Hi"s and "Hello"s. After all, she _was_ the head detective and she _was_ damn good at what she did.

She recently made a big bust (the day before, to be exact) and got a few pats on the back. There was a huge drug ring that'd been going on for years beforehand and no one— _no one—_ could figure it out. She did, and it turned out to be one of her greatest achievements so far. She was so proud. So proud because she was the one to figure it. So proud because it was impossible for others to figure out. Sure, she had the help of her colleagues and friends, but she was the real MVP on that case. That was why she was proud. Because she was damn good at what she did, and no one would ever, _ever_ take that away from her.

There was something lying on her desk when she arrived. A cupcake. It read in icing, "Congrats!"

"All right, who gave me this cupcake," she said loudly as she was chuckling. "I'll take this down to Forensics and have it tested for poisons."

They laughed. It was normal for the surrounding people to butt in and laugh, and she didn't mind at all. At the station almost everyone was friendly.

"It was me," a voice said. "Your dear friend, Uriah. Congrats on the bust."

"Thanks, Uriah," Tris said, then hugged him. "I couldn't have done it without you though. Now, let's get to work. We need to interrogate suspect Sergio Mage in interrogation room #1. He's the leader of the drug ring. We've got about five other suspects that work alongside him. We need to interrogate all of them today. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Uriah was Junior Detective. The ranking under Tris. The chief was first, then sergeant, then head detective, junior detective, then police officers. The sergeant was Zeke Pedrad, Uriah's older brother. Tris didn't want to be chief or sergeant; she liked her position as head detective, because even though she was only third ranked at the station, she was still well-respected.

Even though Uriah was ranked lower, they were still friends. In fact, she even knew he had a thing for the coroner, Marlene. Their little group of friends were nice. There was Christina, a 9-1-1 dispatcher, Will, a forensics technician, Zeke, the sergeant, Shauna, who worked in the lab with Will as an assistant, Marlene, the coroner, Uriah, the junior detective, and her, lead detective. Although they all had different jobs, they all were under one roof.

Tris was the only single one. She didn't mind though. Well, sometimes she felt like a seventh wheel (if that was even a thing) but they all started out as friends to begin with. Besides, she was twenty-three. She had plenty of time.

Tris and Uriah made their way to interrogation room #1. There was a caucasian man in a wifebeater tank-top, jean shorts, and sandals. He looked like a peach. Tris was about to step into the room where the man sat, but her radio came on.

"Detective Tris Prior, please report to Chief Max Kelly's office."

"Copy that," Tris said into it. "Think you can handle it from here, Pedrad?" she asked Uriah, smirking.

"This ain't my first rodeo, darlin'," he responded.

"All right. I should be back."

Tris walked down a pattern of hallways until she found the chief's office.

"Yes, Chief?" she asked, posture straight and respectful.

"At ease," he chuckled. "It's just me. We're cool, you and I."

Tris laughed. "What can I do for ya?" she asked, sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

"A man was murdered today. Another man, the city is calling him Four, caught the killer and chained him to the nearest thing to the body. You see, this man, Four, is a vigilante, of sorts. Taking matters into his own hands rather than informing the police. This is what our sketch artist has conjured up from an eyewitness."

Tris took the pencil drawing from his hands. The first was the man's face. Strong jawline, firm cheekbones, slightly hooked nose, and dark, ocean-blue eyes.

"As you know, sketch artists don't add color typically, but the eyewitness was very adamant about the eyes."

Tris observed a little more. There was a large hood over the man's head and he was wearing a black mask that covered the bridge of his nose to each side of his head near his ears. He had a little stubble on his chin. The eyewitness was awfully descriptive.

"The eyewitness must've been pretty close to this 'Four' to see these little details, don't you think?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well that's because the eyewitness was the one who committed the murder."

"So you mean to tell me that a _killer_ gave us this description?"

He nodded.

"And you're trusting this psychopath?"

"It's all we've got, Tris," Max told her. "It's better than nothing,"

"Okay. And what am I supposed to do?"

"Find him and arrest him."

* * *

Tris later went back to the interrogation room with Uriah. After an hour with Uriah, Mage didn't crack, so Tris stepped in.

She put a hand on Uriah's shoulder and sat down in the chair next to him and across from Mage and his lawyer.

"Listen, Sergio. This is my dear friend Uriah here, Junior Detective. See, he's very good at was he does, and so am I. Now, if you cooperate, we'll give you a plea deal. As long as you tell us, we can go pretty far with the amount of prison time taken off. Now are you willing to spill?"

"No," his lawyer said for him.

Sergio shook his head.

Tris turned to Uriah and nodded her head back, as if to leave the room. She did this all the time.

Once he was out of the room, she said, "You got kids, Sergio?"

"Don't say a thing, Mage."

Mage gave him an annoyed look and nodded.

"Not a talker. Neither am I, usually. Depends on who I'm around. Anyway, what're your kids' names?"

"Belle and Frankie. Twins. Thirteen."

"A wife?"

A little smile peeked on his face. "Donna."

Tris typically didn't share this exact story, but it was special. Usually she made up a story to get the perp to spill, but the first thing that popped into her head was her little baby Jules.

"I've got a kid too. Juliet. She's just precious. Four years old. Now how would you feel if you got life in prison and they found out what you were up to? I mean, they'll find out eventually, but if you accept this plea deal… They'll get full visitation rights, you'll get treated much better in prison, and you can get partial parole instead of full-time prison. Now, what do you think little Belle and Frankie will think of you then if you were in prison a long time? What about Donna? I know that my Jules would be so, so very disappointed in me. She might even would never talk to me again, if I was in your place."

"I accept," he said softly.

"Sergio—" his lawyer began.

"No. I accept."

Tris smiled. "I'll get the paperwork."

She stepped out and into the room with the one-way mirror. Half the station was in there.

They looked at her in awe.

"Tris, you have a kid?" Chief Max asked.

She sighed. "I did."

"Why haven't you told anyone?" an officer asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was any of you guys' business," she snapped. She walked out of the room and started to walk outside. She needed air.

The wind pierced her skin, chilling her to the bone. It was November already. Good thing she was wearing long sleeves. An icy breath escaped her lips, and she cold see her breath through her glazed eyes. She never talked about Juliet, even with her friends. Juliet was her child, but she… she had a birth defect. Born prematurely. She still considered Juliet to be her child though, even considering the fact that she was gone. She would've turned four that day. November 23rd. Tris could hardly even bare the thought.

But she was strong. She got through it without Peter, Juliet's father. She had family and friends. But the reason she got through that was because she was strong. That wasn't the end of her. If anything, it was the beginning. She just started her life. She was able to join the academy. She got this job. She wasn't stuck with Peter.

She looked at the bright side, even though it was mostly dark.

So Tris walked back inside, dignified. She didn't need to be worrying about anything. Her life was good. She was strong.

That was all that mattered.

* * *

She was walking home from the station in the dark. She took the short way through an alley, not caring if there were any bad things going on. She was in the CPD. She would be fine.

She tucked her hands into her sweatshirt pocket to keep warm and let her hair down from its ponytail keep her ears warm. She was running a hand through her hair when a faint outline popped up just feet in front of her.

She quickly pulled the gun from in between her back and her jeans and said, "CPD, I've got a gun!"

"Woah, woah, calm down," a deep voice said. "I saw some thugs following you and warned 'em off. Think you could give your hero a kiss?"

"Who are you?" she asked.

"They call me Four."

"Dammit," she mumbled. "So who are you, really?"

"Can't say. I'm still trying to find myself."

"Don't go hipster on me. I could arrest you right now."

"Please, I'd love if you put me in handcuffs."

"Oh, gross. Don't be like that."

"I'm sorry, but you're gorgeous."

She fake-gagged. "You are under arrest for the act of vigilantism."

"C'mon on, sweetie, don't be like that."

She neared him, but didn't lower her gun.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of l—"

"You think you can catch me. How cute. May we meet again, gorgeous," he said with a wink, then disappeared.

"What?" she said under her breath. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

But he was gone. Nowhere to be found. It was like he just disappeared out of thin air. Either he was extremely stealthy or a magician, because the way he disappeared had to've required some sort of talent.

She shook her head, then began to walk toward her house. She never saw it coming.

The only thing she didn't understand, though, why she didn't just cuff him. Sure he was charming and all, but… he kind of seemed like a jerk. Hitting on her and stuff. But she couldn't get a grip on why she didn't just cuff him. The only thing that prevented her was the distance between the two of them. She loved cuffing people. That feeling of pride and honor it gave her… it was irreplaceable.

She shook it off though. She would catch him. She always did.

It was what she did for a living. No matter how charming, cute…

 _He's wearing a mask, dumbass,_ she told herself. _The idea of him is cute. Not. Him._

She would _not_ let herself fall for a criminal. A criminal! What was she even thinking? A criminal, for God's sake. A cop and a criminal definitely don't mix.

And besides, she'd have him cuffed up and behind bars within a week.

She was one of the best out there. This guy would cause her no trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 _Hi! My name is Reese for those of you that are unaware. I didn't really give you guys any schedule or intro, if you will, but my updates will typically be Tuesdays and Fridays. I've had these chapters written for some time now. Volleyball takes up most of my time, which is why I can only update twice a week. I am usually very strict with my schedule. I never, ever, ever will abandon my story halfway through. I always stick with what I start. Also, I know some of you are confused about Tobias and Four being the same person, and they are. Cop by day, vigilante by night. Make sense? Anyway, sorry for the long A/N, they usually aren't this long. Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

 _(P.S. Thank you so, so much for all the follows, favorites, and reviews!)_

* * *

"Are you still worrying about this Four guy?" Uriah asked when she walked into work the next day.

"No," Tris said adamantly.

But of course she was lying. This guy was a major stress on her shoulders. She couldn't stand the thought of him being out on the loose. Sure, he was helping people, but he was still a reckless man that had no place to do what he was doing. To keep the streets safer, he should've stayed off of them. This "Four" guy had absolutely no right. If he wanted to be hero, he should've become a cop.

They walked in through the lower level with all the cops and lower-ranked people.

Tris was getting irritated with him now. She stopped in her tracks. "No! Uriah, I don't—"

Then a man with nice and eyes and cute nerdy glasses walked straight into her, dropping his files all over the floor.

"Oh my god," Tris said. "I am _so_ sorry. Let me help you pick those up." She squatted down and sorted out the files. "I don't think we've met. I'm Tris. Head Detective."

He chuckled. His voice was pretty deep. "Yeah, I know. I'm Tobias. Officer, as you can see." He pointed to his uniform.

 _Interesting. Nice eyes. Soothing voice. Ripped._ These were the things running through her mind as she stared at him.

"Anyway," he said, "thanks for helping me pick these up. I'll… see you around?"

Tris smiled. "Yeah. Definitely."

So they turned their separate ways.

"You're cheeks got redder," Uriah observed. "You thought he was hot!"

She flushed. "Keep your voice down! God, Uriah. So what if I thought he was good looking? It doesn't matter."

"Oh, it so does."

"No it doesn't. My focus needs to be 100% on Four. This guy has to be stopped."

"So during your confrontation with Four, did you happen to notice any features that might look like someone you know?"

"Well I know he has those piercing blue eyes… I couldn't really tell 'cause it was dark and we were in an alley, to be honest."

"Well what outfit was he wearing."

"It looked like Hawkeye's from the Avengers movie," she chuckled. "It was kind of hot."

"Man, what's with you and thinking guys are hot lately?"

She rolled her eyes. "I am a single, pretty girl. Am I not allowed to have these thoughts?"

"You are fully entitled," he mumbled.

"All right. Interrogation room #2. This oughta be a fantastic day," she grumbled.

* * *

Hours later, Tris and Uriah were called out to a scene where Four had supposedly been. It was a bank robbery. There were hostages being held, and it was rumored that Four was taking it upon himself to go in and "rescue" them.

Tris was fed up.

"Get the robber on the phone," Tris demanded.

So they did. Tris grabbed the headset.

"Hello?" the robber asked.

"Hi," she said softly. "My name is Tris. What's your name?"

Hesitation. "Jake."

"Hello, Jake. I'm Head Detective Tris Prior of the Chicago Police Department. May I ask what caused you to do this?"

"What makes you think I'll tell you?" he shouted through the phone.

"I can get you whatever you want. I'm your friend here, Jake. You see, all these people are betting against you, but I'm the only one here that understands how much life sucks sometimes. What happened to make you want this, Jake?"

"My wife."

"What happened to your wife?"

"She has cancer. She's dying and we don't have the money to help."

"We?"

"My sons. Two of them."

"The same thing happened to me, but in a different form. You see, Jake, my husband—his name was Tony—and my son—Brian… we all got in a car accident. I was the only survivor. Tony and Brian we in the hospital for weeks, and all I could do was watch them die. It was hard," she lied. "But you'll get through this. These people, the hostages… They have families. How would you feel if you were in their shoes and they took you away from your family? Please them go, Jake."

There was no answer for a few minutes. "Women and children!" he yelled. "Out!"

Tris sighed, but not fully satisfied with just two-thirds of the people safe.

it was her job to keep _everyone_ safe.

"Thank you so much, Jake," Tris said.

"You have one hour to meet the following demands: A bus stocked with food. My sons will not be questioned. All road blocks removed. That's it. That's all I ask of you," he said desperately.

"Okay. I think we can do that," she said. "How about I call you when we those are ready?"

"Okay."

Then he hung up.

Tris calmly set the headset in the S.W.A.T. van, even though she wanted to smash it. She sat down and and put her face in her hands.

"Pedrad!" she yelled.

He rushed over to Tris. All she had to do was hold out her hand and he knew what to do.

Gummy worms.

Uriah got out the pack of Trolli gummy worms he always kept in his pocket for stressful days. He handed her four of her favorite flavor.

"You're the best," she said while munching.

When she finished, she stood up. "All right. McKinnon, I need you to call and tell the chief I've got everything under control. Sal, Make sure the entire perimeter is surrounded. Every inch. Trainor, Gibson, and Walker. All three of you _must_ make sure Four doesn't get anywhere near this place. Understand?"

All of them nodded, then went their separate ways.

"What's our next move, Prior?" Uriah asked her.

"We wait about a half hour. That'd be the amount of time we'd need if we actually were getting a bus stockpiled with food and all road blocks removed."

"Okay. So how're you going to play this out?"

"Well, we wait. Me, you, and a few from S.W.A.T. go around a corner. I call him while we're around the corner and tell him to come out since we have his demands ready. We raid him. Get the hostages out. The end."

"Sounds like a plan."

About a half hour later, Tris's squad snuck around the corner of the bank. She called the bank's number, and almost immediately there was an answer.

"I don't see my bus."

"Don't worry, Jake. We've got it. We just need you to step outside."

"I'm trusting you on this."

Then he hung up.

Through her earpiece, an officer reported, "Perp is out of the bank. Raid on."

Tris counted down with her fingers. Three… Two…

One.

And then they rushed toward him.

"CPD put your hands up!" Tris shouted.

But he didn't. He raised the gun, and then a shot was fired.

Tris, being in the front, came in contact with the bullet. She went crashing to the ground, the wind knocked out of her. She heard Uriah shout, then rush to her side. She heard the S.W.A.T. team rush to arrest him. Everything, rush, rush, rush.

"Tris," he said. "Tris, talk to me."

She smiled. "I'm fine. Bulletproof vest."

"Still, do you think you're ribs are broken from impact?"

"No," she said, getting ready to sit up. "I'm good."

Uriah grabbed her hand and helped her stand up. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive."

He helped her walk over to the ambulance that was meant for hostages and the force if any were injured.

She laid down on the gurney inside the ambulance, and the EMT lifted her shirt to see her stomach. She did a few tests just to feel if her ribs were broken just in case.

"Well," she said, "it looks like you have no major injuries. Your ribs aren't broken, but you will feel some pain from the bruises on your ribs."

Tris breathed out, relieved. "Thank you."

So she sat up and carefully walked out of the ambulance with Uriah. While she was in there, hostages were released and Jake was arrested.

They all went back to the station. Tris went back to her desk to grab her oversized comfy sweatshirt before she and Uriah went Chief Max's office with Sergeant Zeke to tell the whole story.

"Go home," Max told Tris. "You just got shot," he chuckled.

"But I'm fine," she argued. "It only hurts when I breathe," she said under her breath.

"I heard that. Now," he said, "go home."

She breathed out. "Fine."

So she left the room and made her way towards the exit.

"Hey, Tris," someone said to her as she was leaving. "Are you okay?" Tobias asked. "I heard you were shot."

"Yeah. Perks of having a bulletproof vest," she chuckled.

"Oh. Well I'm glad." He paused. "I mean not that you got shot but that you were, you know, wearing a vest."

She laughed at him. "I know what you meant. No worries."

"All right. So—"

"Do you want to grab a drink?" she interrupted. "I mean, if you aren't busy," she said with a shrug, looking away. She wished she could take back that embarrassing question and just hide inside her big soft sweatshirt.

He smiled. "Sure. But are you up for it?" he asked, motioning to her stomach.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Really. I just always suck it up."

He smiled at her. "Okay. Where at?"

"Buffalo Wild Wings? Maybe we can catch the Bears game. Today's the 25th of November right? Yeah. But if you're not into football then we can—"

"Buffalo Wild Wings sounds great," he said chuckling. "I'll meet you there at, say, 5:15?"

She crossed her arms and relaxed inside her sweatshirt. "Yeah. That actually sounds perfect. I'll see you then." She gave him a nice, warm smile, then made her way out.

About fifteen minutes later, she was in the alley where she confronted Four the other night. He wasn't there, but Tris secretly kind of wished he was.

But he wasn't, so she kept making her way home. It was only four o'clock, so she had some time kill.

When she entered her apartment, she immediately threw herself on the couch.

Bad idea. Very, very, _very_ , bad idea. She groaned from the bullet wound.

"Idiot," she mumbled to herself.

She got herself up somehow and made her way to her bedroom. She thought about maybe putting on something semi-classy, but decided she simply didn't feel like it. So she switched into her blue and orange Bears sweatshirt since it was chilly out. She kept on her jeans then changed into her navy Vans. She took her contacts out and put on her cute, nerdy glasses. She threw her hair up into a messy bun, then made her way out the door and to Buffalo Wild Wings. It was only five o'clock, but she wanted a good seat because she knew they'd most likely be packed for the game.

She went through the alley as a shortcut, and it was, of course, dark out by that time.

Tris heard a rustling of some sort.

"Are you nocturnal or something?" she said to Four. "You only come out when it's dark?"

"That is true. I have another job you know. I get off at five," he said with a chuckled.

"Yeah, I heard vigilantism doesn't pay very well."

"No, it really doesn't," he told her. "You look amazing today, by the way."

"Oh c'mon, I'm wearing a sweatshirt, my glasses, and a messy bun."

"True, but you rock it," he laughed.

She rolled her eyes. "You realize there's a warrant out for your arrest, right?"

"Yeah. But I know you won't arrest me. You secretly like me."

"That's ridiculous. And what are you? A stalker?"

"No. I just happen to know a lot of crime goes down in this neighborhood. I don't know exactly where you live, but I'd suggest moving."

"I'm head detective of the CPD. I think I can handle myself."

"Yeah, you handled yourself really well today when you got shot," he said with a huff.

"Who cares? You of all people, too."

"Just looking out for Chicago's finest."

"You should become a cop. We're the real heroes."

"I trust me. I know. I've admired them since I was a kid."

"You could quit this whole act and become a cop. Think about it, Four."

Then Tris walked off, wishing that maybe he was the one she was meeting at the restaurant.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 _Just to clear things up... **Tobias and Four are the same people**. Cop by day, vigilante by night._

 _And one more quick thing: (Super nerdy, but one of the best things ever) Today is the one year anniversary of when I posted my first story, "I Try." I don't know why I thought this was so cool, but I'm just glad I've stuck with it for so long. Anyway, hope you like the chapter._

* * *

It was hard for Tris to forget about Four when she walked into the restaurant. But she did eventually.

She found herself a table for two in the shape of a circle in the middle of the floor. When the waiter came up, she decided not to order. She just got a draft beer. The game started at 5:30, so she just watched the local news from a different TV.

And headlining it was Four.

At the bottom of the screen, it read, "Four: Hero or Vigilante?" across a banner.

The reporter's words were recorded at the bottom, reading, _"Is this 'Four' really a vigilante? Sure, he may not be an actual hero, but he's sure making a difference in civilians' lives. Head Detective Beatrice 'Tris' Prior has been assigned to catch this man, according to Chief Max Blue. '_ Tris is one of the best out there _,' says her partner, Junior Detective, under Beatrice, Uriah Pedrad. '_ Tris will catch this guy easy as pie _,' says Sergeant Zeke Pedrad, brother of Junior Detective, Uriah Pedrad. Though these references say how good Beatrice is, why hasn't she caught him yet? Could she be looking out for this 'Four' character? Is she agreeing with his actions, or is she just a bad detective? Belle Armstrong, 19 Action News. Back to you, John."_

"Looks like you're famous," said someone next to her.

She jumped a little, but then realized it was Tobias.

"Oh, hey. You scared me," she chuckled.

He sat down across from her. "You look nice," he said with a real smile.

"Haha, sure," she said with a rolling of the eyes.

"I'm serious. You're glasses fit you well and you're messy bun brings out the playful side that most wouldn't realize you have."

"Man," she said, "you should be a detective."

He shrugged. "Maybe one day."

"So, you know what you're getting?" she asked him.

"Same as I always get. Draft beer and a steakhouse burger."

"Really? Me too. The occasional appetizer of mozzarella sticks," she said smiling.

He smiled. "I like that you aren't a girly-girl. You watch football, wear big sweatshirts, and glasses. Not many girls are like that anymore."

She shrugged. "I like being comfortable."

He slightly smirked. "So," he said, "I'd love to hear your opinion and this Four character."

She sighed. "I like that he's trying to help people and all, but if he wanted to do that he should've become a cop or something. I know this sounds kind of cocky, but, in all honesty, we're the real heroes. Cops, detectives, generals, chief, sergeants, soldiers, you name it. Someone serving the country. But vigilantism just isn't the way to go if you want to help out the community. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's putting away more criminals, but… I don't know. I just think that he'd make a great cop." She shrugged.

"If I may express my opinion…"

"Go for it," she told him.

"I think he's just another guy that wants to keep the streets safe. I mean, what's the difference? He's not certified and doesn't have the official title. That's about it."

She pursed her lips. "I know I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I don't want to arrest him. Max basically engraved everything I just said into my brain. If I'm being honest… Four is a really great guy. He's really funny. Charming. Nice, piercing blue eyes. Actually, a lot like yours. You have nice eyes."

"Right back at you. But it sounds like you've got a little crush on this superhero figure," he observed.

She huffed. "As if."

"Did you really just quote _Clueless_?" he asked, laughing.

"Oh my god. You've seen _Clueless_?" she asked, surprised.

"Lots of girl cousins. Practically my sisters. Don't judge," he chuckled.

She laughed. "Nah, I love that movie. Classic."

"So," he said, "it seems like we hardly know anything about each other."

"That's true. What's your favorite color?" she asked.

"Blue. Like your eyes."

She smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good, because it was," he said with a smirk. "What would you do with one million dollars?"

"Give half to charity. You?"

"Probably give 75% of it to charity."

Tris smiled. "You seem like a really down-to-earth kinda guy."

He smiled back. "You seem like a really down-to-earth kinda gal."

She chuckled. "Trust me, I'm not."

"Sure," he winked at her. "If you could have any superpower what would it be?"

She thought for a second. "Moving things with my mind so I could lay in bed all day and not move," she said, laughing.

He laughed along. "Me too."

"What's your middle name?" she asked him.

"Daniel. You?"

"Kate."

"You have a pretty name."

"Thank you, sir," she said mock-formally.

"What's your favorite thing in world?"

"Food," said Tris automatically. "All of it."

He laughed. "Okay, since we're playing what seems like 20 questions, I have another thing I'd love to know the answer to."

"What's that?"

"What's your number?"

Tris grinned. "You sly dog. That was pretty smooth."

He smirked at her. "I try."

She grabbed a little napkin and wrote her name along with her number on it.

"I'm serious. They was very smooth. How many times have you done that?" she asked, smirking.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he chuckled.

She shrugged. "I guess I kind of just assumed you were a fuckboy in high school."

He playfully scoffed. "Why's that?"

She shrugged. "Cause you aren't exactly unattractive."

"Tris Prior, are you trying to tell me I'm good looking?" He gave her a wild smirk then threw her a wink.

She blushed and looked away. "I don't know."

He just laughed. "Well, being the good detective you are, you're correct. Now I'm kind of just looking to settle down with a special girl."

"Let me ask you this: When was the last time you had a girlfriend and how long did it last?"

"Well, I'm twenty-six, so… six years ago. It lasted about a month or two," he said, shrugging. "That was when I decided I wanted a serious relationship 'cause I was twenty and going into the academy. I knew I had to stop being a fuckboy."

She smiled. "What an inspiring story of an ex-fuckboy."

"But I'm assuming you weren't a whore in high school even though you're really hot—I mean good-looking," he chuckled.

She blushed again. "No, I wasn't. But I did have a kid, in case you didn't hear."

"No, I didn't," he said, frowning.

"My daughter… Her name was Juliet Renee Prior. She was born prematurely. I didn't smoke during the pregnancy—never _have_ smoked—and I didn't drink alcohol so I knew it wasn't Fetal Alcohol Syndrome."

"So why then?" he asked solemnly.

"My boyfriend at the time… He wasn't the greatest. He would hit me sometimes… It was before I decided to become a cop. I was twenty when I became pregnant. I'm twenty-four now, which means I went to the academy of police about two years ago. And here I am now," she said with a sad smile. She laid her hand one the table and tapped it. It's what she did to hold back tears. Ever since she was a kid she did that. It just always helped. Her tapping fingers gave a certain kind of calm. She did it when she was nervous, stressed, and sad, and she couldn't explain it, but it always just came naturally.

Everyone within her circle of friends knew about what Peter did to her, but it wasn't something she exactly shared with strangers, so she couldn't figure out why she told Tobias this.

"Hey," Tobias said, then covered her hand with his. "I'm here if you need to talk," he said sincerely.

She nodded, then sucked the tears back into her ducts. And she grinned.

"Why are you grinning?" he asked, then squeezed it.

"The Bears just scored," she said, laughing.

He laughed, then pulled his hand from hers.

Their waitress walked up to their table and got right to the point. She said, "Hello, My name is Gina and I'll be your waitress tonight. What can I get you two to start off with?"

"I'll have a draft," Tobias said since Tris already had her beer.

"Okay. I'll be right back to take your orders," she said with a nice smile.

"So you've seen that thing from Saturday Night Live right? Like, with Chris Farley and all them? They say it like 'Da Bears.'"

She laughed. "Of course I've seen that. I love those things."

He nodded. "Those guys were awesome. It's a shame Chris Farley's dead. He was so funny, especially in _Tommy Boy_."

She gasped. "You've seen _Tommy Boy_?" she asked elatedly.

"Hell yeah. One of my all-time favorites."

"Man," she said, "you really are perfect," she said, laughing. She had no shame in what she just said, though. She had tons of guy friends without being a whore or too suggestive.

"So what else don't I know about you?" he asked.

"Well… I played volleyball throughout my high school years. I was also into gymnastics and tumbling and stuff."

"Nice. I played—"

"Football, basketball, and baseball."

"How'd you know that?"

She shrugged and took a sip of her beer. "Typical fuckboy sports."

Tobias chuckled. "I think you're just stalking me."

She playfully glared at him. "Sure. But I bet that if you gave me something to figure about yourself I could do it. And easily, at that."

"Okay. What was my childhood like?" he asked seriously.

She tapped her fingers, thinking and trying not to mess anything up, which made her slightly nervous. "You were around your mother most of your life. You treat women with respect now as an adult because your father didn't and you didn't want to turn out like him. You weren't close with your father. I'm guessing he was a little rough with you before you and your mom finally left him? He was the reason you wanted to be a cop. To do what was right, even when you were surrounded by wrongs your entire life," she finished.

Tobias stared at his beer, swishing it in a circle off the table, round and round. Then he set the beer on the table, not so gently. "How'd you know that?" He finally looked up her with an unhappy expression on his face.

She sighed. "I'm sorry if I struck some bad memories there." She looked away, at the ground.

"You didn't. But how the hell would you know any of that without reading my file? Only the chief has those."

"I'm just good at what I do, Tobias. I figured out you were with your mom mostly because you respect me and other women. I can tell because you're very polite to me most of the time. I could tell your dad was a dick because you had the personality of a fuckboy, but secretly cared for your mom. I saw the picture of you two on your desk. I noticed a little scar on the bottom of your chin and deducted it down to that," she said. "Simple."

"Sorry if I came of as a dick right there. That's just… That was amazing," he chuckled. "Spot on."

"Thanks. But it's just the way I operate. Trained to process everything in a certain way."

He blew out a breath. "Sounds like a rough life."

She laughed. "One would typically think that, but some things are just better left unsaid, Tobias."

* * *

They stood outside Buffalo Wild Wings, about to leave.

"Well," Tris said. "That was fun. Maybe you could come hang out with my little group of friends sometime. I think they'd like you."

He smiled. "Sounds fun. I had a nice time tonight."

She opened her arms and hugged him. She knew he wasn't expecting it, but she didn't care.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "Did you walk here?" he asked, mid-hug.

"Yeah."

"I could give you a ride home. It's probably not very safe walking home at this time of night, especially since it's Friday. People are probably drunk and not thinking right."

"Tobias"—she pulled back—"I'm a member of law enforcement and I can kick some serious ass."

"It may've seemed like I was offering, but I wasn't. I'm giving you a ride home. Now, c'mon."

She laughed. "Okay then."

They walked out to his… motorcycle?

Tris grinned. "Nice. Bike."

He grinned back. "Hop on, Sunshine."

She took her hair out of its messy bun and shook it back and forth. She always wanted to feel her hair whip in the wind on a motorcycle.

"My address is 32 Pinbroke Avenue."

"Oh, I know where that is. I pass it everyday since I live about five minutes away."

"I trust that you won't stalk me."

Smiling, she hopped on.

He started the bike and revved the engine.

She wrapped her arms around his waist. Then she mumbled in his ear, "You sure you aren't a fuckboy? Most of them rev their engine."

"I have the occasional tendencies," he said, then moved forward.

He pulled onto the main road toward her house. They flew through the air, and Tris was grinning like an idiot. She felt totally and utterly free. Like nothing could stop her. Like nothing could touch her. Absolutely nothing.

She laughed in Tobias's ear, and she could see the smile on his face.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins, but they arrived soon.

For a few seconds while Tobias was parked, Tris kept her arms wrapped around his waist.

"That was terrifying and amazing at the same time," she said as she got off the bike. "We should do that again sometime."

"I definitely agree," he said with a smile. "I'll see you Monday," he said. "Oh, and keep in mind that I have your number." He winked at her, and then he drove away.

Her heart fluttered for a split second, then she went inside her apartment building, never quite losing that fluttering feeling.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Tris went in to work at seven that morning, even though she was supposed to be there at eight on normal days. She had a big case laid on her desk and a minimal amount of time to solve it. Not only did she have to wake up early, but the fact that it was Monday alone was too much to handle.

She was almost to her desk when someone poked her sides, causing her to jump and squeal.

Luckily there was no one but about three others in the station at the time, because she squealed pretty loudly.

She turned around to see Tobias with a smug grin planted on his face. "Hey."

"Never, ever, ever, ever do that again, Tobias Eaton," she said much too seriously.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry. I'm just teasing. I'm sorry if I hurt you," he said, sticking out his bottom lip.

She chuckled. "It's fine. Why're you in so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," he said with a shrug. "You want to grab a coffee?"

She sighed a little. "I don't know… I've got a big case. That's why I came in early."

He dramatically sighed. "Okay… Maybe next time." He stuck out his lower lip again. "I guess I'll get a really crappy coffee from the break room… again…," he said, then sighed again.

She chuckled at his actions. "Fine. But we'll make it quick."

Tobias and Tris headed for the exit of the station, side by side.

"So," Tobias said, "what are your opinions on cupcakes?"

"Those sound fantastic right now, especially since I'm on my time of the month," she said with a groan.

Tobias laughed. "I'm sorry. That has to suck."

"God, you have to be like the only guy that thinks it sucks, because whenever a girl gets moody guys always assume we're on our freaking periods or something! Like, no, maybe you're just acting like an asshole today!"

Tobias laughed again. "Okay, that was pretty funny. I'm always here if you need to cry or laugh or be angry at someone. Or all at the same time." He smiled at her.

"Ugh. You rock."

"I try."

Minutes later, they arrived at the coffee shop. Tobias held open the door for her like any gentleman would.

They entered the shop, which was pretty busy. They got in the line of about five people.

"It's on me. What're you getting?" Tobias asked.

"No. I'm not letting you pay," she told him. "You already paid for my dinner on Friday."

"Tris. Don't be ridiculous. I seriously don't mind at all."

She playfully glared at him. "Well I appreciate the gesture, but no thank you. I can handle myself."

"I know you can, but just let me do this. Let me be a non-fuckboy for once."

She chuckled. "I thought you had a girlfriend when you were, like, twenty or so."

"Yeah, but I was still a fuckboy. I mean, I didn't cheat on her or anything. I would never ever, ever, ever, _ever_ do that. Cheaters are scum. Anyway, I was still kind of a dick back then."

"Back then? Honey please, you still are."

"Are you calling me a dick?" he asked, chuckling.

She shrugged. "I guess I am."

"Well then."

"Hey, I'm kidding, calm down. Don't get your panties in a twist," she said, then winked at him. She then walked up to the register and ordered.

Tobias stepped in and ordered his too.

"That'll be $7.54," the cashier said.

He handed her a ten and told her to keep the change for herself.

They stepped off to the side and waited for their coffees. "Tobias Eaton," she said and smacked Tobias on the arm. "I told you I was paying. Not cool."

"I am a gentleman. _Not_ a fuckboy. Or dick, for that matter."

"Oh, Tobias. You didn't think I actually meant that, did you?" she said with a sad chuckle and a guilty smile. She laid a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just used to getting called a fuckboy, but coming from you it kind of sucks," he said with a small, sad laugh. "But I know you were kidding." He shrugged.

"Tobias, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out badly. I just wanted to tease you, you know?" she said. "Point is, I won't do it again. I promise."

"Tris, I don't want you to feel bad," he said, full on facing her now. "Seriously. It's fine."

She frowned. "Okay."

* * *

"So," a familiar voice said, "I heard you had a date last night."

After a long day at work, this was the lasting Tris needed. She was already annoyed at the fact that she left the station at seven o'clock that day, but it was also Monday, just to make matters worse.

"You are the _last_ person I was to see right now," she grumbled.

Four stood in his normal place; the lower level of the fire escape in the alley.

"Feelin' the love, Tris. Feelin' the love."

"Look, I've had a stressful day at work, so if I could just go—"

"Nah," he said. He sat down on the fire escape and dangled his legs over the edge. "I want you to tell me all about your date."

She neared him. When he was sitting down, his feet were at about the level of her face. "Do you think we're friends or something? Because we aren't. I could arrest you right now."

"But you won't. You secretly think I'm awesome."

"Not really," she lied. "But okay. Can I ask you something though?"

"Shoot."

"Do you wear a voice modulator?"

"I do. You think my real voice is this deep? And don't forget about the fact that it's British," he chuckled.

"Just checking."

"Since I know you won't arrest me, why don't you come up here and have a seat next to me."

"Four, I'm tired as hell. Please just let me go home."

"Get up here."

So she did. She climbed up the ladder and sat next to him. She looked at his face, but still couldn't tell any of his features.

"So tell me all about this date of yours," he said, acting like a girl purposefully.

She groaned. "It wasn't a date."

"Then what was it?"

"Two friends watching the game together in a public place."

"So you only see him as a friend?"

"Why do you even care?"

"So you _do_ see him as a friend."

"Well I never said that…"

"So you like him more than a friend?"

"Why does this even matter to you?"

"I may or may not know this guy you have a thing for."

"Four, if you say anything I swear—"

"Relax, relax, I won't."

"Why have you been flirting with me if you're friends with this guy then?"

He shrugged. "I can't resist." Then he slid his arm around her shoulders.

She slapped his hand and rolled her eyes.

He just laughed as he pulled his arm back to his side. "So why won't you arrest me?"

She shrugged and looked away. "Because a part of me thinks you're actually doing good to this town. And, to be honest, I don't want to know who you are."

"Why not?"

"Wouldn't that ruin all the fun?" she asked playfully.

"I'd like to tell you who I am, but I think it'd ruin a lot of things."

She shrugged. "I don't want to know, you don't want to tell me. I'm not seeing the problem here."

"I guess there isn't one."

"Oh! I just thought of something. Are you Tobias's cousin? You two have the same eyes."

"You really are a great detective. Yes. We're cousins. Don't go reading into it though."

"Wasn't going to."

"And just so you know," he said, "Tobias doesn't know I asked you about this date, so don't tell him anything."

"All right."

"Now, get that cute butt of yours home before the bad people come out of the shadows."

She scoffed. "Asshole." Then she jumped down from the fire escape and started walking home.

Obviously Tobias and Four are related. They both have fuckboy tendencies. Tobias was much more respectful though. But there was a certain kind of feeling that Four gave her that night that she just couldn't quite place. Four made her feel like she could be so much more than just a detective. Like she could _be_ something. Like somehow he gave her the slight thought of becoming a vigilante too.

Sure, Tobias made her feel free and all, but it just wasn't the same with Tobias as it was with Four.

And that was when she realized that she had an irrational, stupid, girly crush on the guy that was making her work life a living hell and her personal life a living heaven.

* * *

Tris got home a little after 7:30 that night. She collapsed on her bed as soon as she got into her little apartment on the top floor. She changed into her pajamas after about five minutes of laying in bed and realizing she still had her work clothes. She changed into a big sweatshirt (with no bra because those things were just the most uncomfortable thing _ever_ ) and a pair of short cotton shorts. Then she took out her contacts and put on her glasses, along with her hair in a braid so her hair would be out of the way when she slept.

She took off her glasses and collapsed onto her bed yet again, only to hear someone buzzing to come up to her apartment.

She groaned. All she wanted to do was sleep. She asked for nothing more.

Tris got up from her bed, put on her glasses, and walked to her front door by the buzzer. She leaned up against the wall, held the button in, and said, "Go away."

"I have cupcakes," the voice said.

"Tobias?" she asked.

"Yep."

She pressed the button and let him through the front door.

Moment later, there was a knock on the door.

She opened it, and the first thing she said was, "Give me a cupcake."

He laughed and opened the little box of four cupcakes.

"You rock," she told him with a mouthful of cupcake. "So why are you here?" She walked inside and sat on the two-person couch. Tobias sat down next to her.

He shrugged. "I was in the neighborhood."

"With cupcakes?" she asked, laughing.

He didn't say anything for a second. "I've got nothin'."

She smiled. "You better be glad you got here when you did, 'cause I was about to go to bed."

"I can tell," he said with a chuckle. "You look cute though."

She laughed. "Sure."

"I'm serious. It looks like you aren't even wearing shorts underneath that big sweatshirt of yours."

"How do you know I'm wearing shorts?" she said with a seductive smirk.

His face reddened a little. "I guess I don't."

"Oh, relax." She lifted the sweatshirt to reveal her shorts.

"Just a reminder: I _am_ an ex-fuckboy. Just saying that you may want to be careful."

"Why's that?" she said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Cause, if I'm being totally honest, you're very, very, very hot, especially since you're wearing a minimal amount of clothing." He laughed.

She winked at him. "I'm flattered."

He smiled. "All right. I figured I'd just drop off some cupcakes. A girl needs her beauty sleep." He stood up from the couch, as did she, and they walked to the door together.

"Here," he said, handing her the box, "keep these."

"You are literally the best person ever." She took the box from his hands, stood on her tip toes, then kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She opened the door and playfully shoved him out of her apartment.

She locked the door, set the cupcakes on the counter, then collapsed on her bed for the third time that hour.

As Tris tried to fall asleep, she couldn't help but think about Tobias. Why would he bring cupcakes for her? Why would he call her hot, of all things? Why would he blush when she said she wasn't wearing shorts, even when she was? So many questions, but no answers.

And she couldn't help but notice the small, sly grin on his face when she shoved him out the door, and that may or may not have given her a small feeling of confidence.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

As Tris sat on the end of the booth in between Tobias and Uriah the following Friday at Buffalo Wild Wings, trapped, her friends continuously badgered her with annoying comments and questions as they ate. They mainly centered around Four.

"Is he as hot as the sketch artist made him out to be?" asked Christina.

"I heard a rumor you two had a little _thing_ going on," Marlene said.

"Yeah, is that true?" Shauna said, continuing off of Mar's comment.

"Oh, someone told me you knew who he actually was and you were trying to protect him 'cause you two had a forbidden love," a laughing Zeke said.

"Enough!" Tris practically shouted. She was getting irritated with everyone but Tobias, because he was the only one not pestering her about her so-called "forbidden love." How they found about how she and Four have a little thing for each other? She had no clue. Uriah was her best guess.

"I don't need all of these question at one time. You each get one question per day about Four. Now, let's start with Zeke, then go Marlene. Beginning to end. Now, Zeke, what was your question?"

"You two don't actually have a forbidden love, do you?" he said, chuckling.

"No. Not at all. Next, Shauna."

Shauna asked, "Do you even have a _little_ thing for him?"

She looked down. "And I have to be honest?" Tris asked unwillingly.

All of her friends nodded in unison.

She groaned. "Fine. Yes. I do have a little, itsy-bitsy thing for him—okay? Next. Will."

He shrugged. "Is he a good guy?"

Tris laughed. "He's a good guy, but he's definitely arrogant most of the time. Christina?"

She looked relieved to finally be able to ask her question. "Is he actually hot?"

Tris grinned. "From what I can tell, yes, very much." Tris casted a glance at Tobias, and he was sipping his beer with a sly smile on his face. "What's so funny, Eaton?" she said, nudging him.

He acted innocent. "Nothing."

"Well, have you got a question?"

"Are he and his cousin both hot?"

Tris smirked. She saw what he was doing. "I'd say so."

"Wait, who's his cousin?" Christina asked.

"Ah, ah, ah," Tris said with the wagging of a finger, "you've already had your question for the day."

Christina groaned. "Fine. Tomorrow you're telling me though."

"Fair enough," Tris said.

Marlene was next. She said, "Are you actually contemplating going out with this 'Four' character?"

Tris shook her head. "I couldn't. I won't. My job means too much and he'd keep his identity a secret. Now, are we done here?" she asked. Everyone was done with their food, so she assumed she could go home.

Uriah knew he was next, so he asked, "Do you plan on ever arresting this guy?"

She shrugged eventually. "Yeah, I mean I have to at some point."

Uriah nodded his head in understanding.

The waitress was walking by, so Tris took the opportunity to ask for her check.

"Just you, sweetheart?" the waitress asked.

"Actually," Tobias interrupted, "I'll take hers and mine."

"All right I'll have that right out for ya."

When she walked away, Tris smacked Tobias's arm. "What the hell was that for?"

Luckily everyone else was in another conversation, so they weren't paying attention to them.

"For what?" Tobias asked. "Being a gentleman?"

"Well if you put it like that…," Tris mumbled.

"Yeah," he said, "that's what I thought." He smirked, then winked at her, causing blood to rush to her face. Tobias couldn't help but laugh at her reaction to his wink.

"What're _you_ laughing at, Eaton?" Tris asked with a smirk as she nudged him with her elbow.

"Your reaction to my wink."

"You make me want to punch you and kiss you at the same."

"Preferably the latter."

"Oh, wow. You sure you aren't a fuckboy anymore?"

"Like I said—occasional tendencies."

The waitress dropped off the check. She said, "Take that up to the cashier whenever you're ready to leave. Have a nice day."

When she left, Tobias said quietly. "But you know what you want to make _me_ do?"

"What's that?" she asked, equally quiet but obviously more nervous.

Tobias leaned in and brushed his lips against her ear. And when he spoke— _God,_ _when he spoke_ —his breath tickled her cheek and ear. "Pin you up against the wall, because you're masterpiece." Tobias slid from the booth since he was on the edge, and walked away, without looking back.

Tris grinned, astounded and shocked. "Holy fuck," she whispered to herself, then put her face in her hands.

Her friends must've noticed her, because when she looked up, everyone was staring at her.

Shauna grinned devilishly. "What'd he say?"

"He—" she stopped herself. "A word in the bathroom, ladies?"

They all got out of the booth and hurriedly pulled Tris into the bathroom. They checked under the stalls to see if anyone was in the restroom. No one was, so they locked the entrance to the entire bathroom.

"Well…?" Christina asked anxiously.

She blushed, looked down, and crossed her arms. "I was telling him how sometimes I want to punch him and kiss him at the same time—"

"You like him?" Marlene asked, shocked.

Tris blushed again. "I don't know. I mean, I guess. Anyway, he said, 'But you know what I want to do?'—"

"What's he want to do?!" Shauna asked, much too excitedly.

"He told me he wanted to pin me up against the wall, because I was a masterpiece," she said quietly.

No one said a single word.

Not.

One.

Word.

Then, "Oh my god!" from Christina. "He _so_ wants to hit that!"

"Chris!" she exclaimed. "You— I— _no._ "

"But you wouldn't be complaining, would you?" Shauna asked suggestively.

"Yes. I would be complaining. I want to get to know him better. I want us to become really good friends, and I don't know that I want anything more."

They groaned.

"You were just talking about wanting to kiss him!" Marlene argued.

Tris looked away. "And? It was just a joke. Teasing."

"And most teasing is flirting. Girl Code," Christina said. "We love that show, you should know what girl code is and isn't. Speaking of which, I'm coming over Wednesday to watch that."

"Okay. And yes, I know that most teasing is flirting, but… Why would a guy flirt with me? I mean, I know I'm decent looking, but… I'm kind of a bitch," she admitted, chuckling.

"Only sometimes," Shauna said with a laugh. "But that doesn't matter because he totally likes you and you totally like him."

"I want to get to know him better. I said that before."

"Well then you're leading him on. And that's not cool," Christina said.

"I know, I know," Tris said, groaning. "But it's just so much fun flirting with him."

"You are so complicated," Marlene said.

"It's a part of who I am," Tris said, laughing.

They all laughed.

"Do you think you can catch up to him if you were to leave now?"

She shrugged, then shook her head. "Probably not."

They sighed.

"A shame," Christina commented. "You'd make a great art piece on a wall." Christina then walked out of the bathroom, leaving Tris shocked. They actually _wanted_ her to do Tobias.

"You guys are insane!" Tris yelled. "I'm leaving."

So she did. She walked right out of Buffalo Wild Wings and into the dark night. The wind was blowing and her hair was going astray. She was about to walk toward the alley where she was hopeful to see Four, but she saw a figure standing by his motorcycle with an evil smirk on his face.

When she neared, he said, "Need a ride, sunshine?"

She laughed. "Tobias Eaton. Were you waiting for me?"

That sly smile stayed on his face. "Maybe. Hop on."

Tris grinned and wrapped her arms around Tobias's waist as they sat on the motorcycle.

"Ready, shorty?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be."

Tobias started the bike and rolled off. Her apartment was just a minute or two away, but she didn't mind having her arms wrapped around his muscular build for just that minute or two.

They arrived at her apartment shortly.

Tris asked, "Do you want to maybe come up to my apartment? I want to get to know you better."

"I don't know," he said with a smile. "What's in it for me?"

"Being in my presence," she teased.

Tobias laughed and turned off the motor.

They walked into the complex of building and took the unstable stairs up all the way to the fourth floor.

"Must've been hard moving in," he said breathily.

"There's an elevator," she said. "I just always take the difficult way in life."

Mid-sentence, she turned around to see Tobias about to fall down and wheezing.

"Tobias! Tobias, oh my god, what's wrong?" she asked, even though she already had an idea of what it was.

He sat down on the stairs and was reaching into his pocket, scrambling.

He couldn't finish, but she knew what he meant. Asthma. He had Asthma.

She reached into his pockets, since it looked like he was too busy catching air to dig around for his inhaler.

She finally found it, then put it up to his lips. She laid her hand on his back and clasped on hand around the inhaler. One of his hands wrapped around her hand; the one that grasped the inhaler.

His pulse slowed down to normal and his breathing along with it. Tobias pulled the inhaler and Tris's hand away from his face.

"Thank you," he said. "I'm sorry."

"No, no don't apologize," she said. She sat next to him on the staircase. "I'm just glad you're okay. That terrified me."

"How'd you know I was having an Asthma attack?"

"My friend would always have them back in high school. I knew what the symptoms were."

"Well thank God you knew I was looking for inhaler." Tobias stood up, taking a deep breath. "Okay. I'm fine. It's all good in the hood. Shall we?"

Tris stood up too and began walking up the stairs. She unlocked her apartment when they reached it and stepped inside. She took off her shoes, Tobias doing the same.

"Can I get you water or something?" Tris asked.

"No, thank you. I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

She sighed. "Okay, okay. Fine."

Tobias walked toward her in the kitchen. She backed up as he stepped forward.

"What'cha doin'?" she asked, laughing.

He chuckled. "You're cute when you're nervous."

Tris's back hit the wall. The fridge was to her left and the cupboard to her right. Her kitchen was just a little straightaway.

Tobias put his arms above her, trapping her.

And she couldn't feel anything but electricity coursing through her veins.

And she was pinned. Just. Like. A masterpiece.

Tobias smirked. There was still a little less than a foot in between their lips because of Tobias's arm length.

He put his arms down, crossed them, and stepped closer.

"You think you're so clever," Tris said. Her voice was small and quiet.

"I do."

Tobias leaned in, wrapped his arms around her waist, and Tris sucked in a breath. Their lips were a millimeter apart, and that was when Tris said, "Tobias. We shouldn't."

"Why not?" he asked. Neither of them moved—not even a centimeter.

"We don't know each other very well."

Tobias obviously didn't care, because he pressed his lips to hers, and she kissed back. She pulled back slightly, and her head grazed the wall.

"We've known each other about a week," she reasoned.

Tobias kissed her again, and this time Tris wrapped her arms around his neck.

"And I need to focus on my job."

Tris kissed him again.

"And you need to focus on yours."

And again.

"Plus you're older than me."

And again.

"And…," she breathed.

And again.

But then she finally restrained herself.

"Tobias. Stop it. You got your wish. You got to pin me against the wall. Now please. Go," she whispered against his lips.

He struggled to pull back, but eventually he did, and walked over to the door. Then he left.

Tris knew she shouldn't have. She just _knew_.

She blew out a big sigh.

She knew she shouldn't have, but God, she wanted to. So badly she wanted to.

And so badly she wanted to do it again.

But she knew she couldn't. And all she could do right in the moment was tap her fingers.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

 _Y'all should know I hate love triangles, so don't get worried 'bout anything later in the chapter._

* * *

The next day at work, Monday, the only thing Tris could do was tap her fingers. She couldn't concentrate on her work, couldn't hardly make conversation with anyone of the human race, and definitely couldn't look at Tobias.

So much for _that_ friendship.

She was really hoping it would last awhile and that they'd become really good friends. Maybe she could talk him into still being friends. She wanted nothing more from him other than being his friend. Hopefully he'd be okay with that. If he wasn't, then maybe he still _was_ a fuckboy.

So on her lunch break she and Uriah walked to the coffee shop. They ordered, got their coffee, and sat down at a table. It was silent in the beginning, but Tris couldn't take it.

"Do you mind if I pour out all of my feelings to you right now?"

Uriah seemed surprised, but he nodded.

"I don't know what the hell to do with my life right now. I love my job and my friends, but, holy shit, things are so difficult right now. First off, Tobias and I _kissed_ , no biggie," she said sarcastically. "We haven't spoken since then. Then there's Four. Max is depending on me to catch him, but the city loves him. So whoever arrests him will be considered the bad guy. Another thing in my life that just flat-out sucks is the fact that I like Four. That relationship will never happen and I know that, but a girl can dream, right?" Tris rambled. "I just can't. I can't right now. I mean, honestly, doesn't every girl have a crush on Four? From the sketch artist drawing he looks pretty damn attractive. Wouldn't every girl practically fall over and die from that picture? And of all people he chose me to mess with. Like, why me? What makes me so special? Why does he always flirt with me? I have so many questions and not enough answers. And, oh my god, about Tobias. I know I already complained about him, but I'm terrified. Like, for real terrified. I honestly don't know what to do. We kissed, as I said before, but I told him to go right after he did. We can't be a thing. I mean—we just can't." She paused for a minute, taking in everything she just told him. "Any advice?" she chuckled.

He let out a breath. "Wow. That's a lot to take in," he laughed. "Well, first of all, you need to choose between Tobias and Four. So do that."

"I can't just _choose_ , Uriah."

"Well how about a pros and cons list?" Uriah grabbed a pen from his pocket and a napkin. On one side he put the number four, and the other, the letter T. Then he labeled it pros and cons.

"Okay," he told her. "Pros for Four."

"He's sweet sometimes. Good-looking. Very charming. Looks out for me."

He scribbled them all down. "Cons?"

"We wouldn't be able to date. He can be too suggestive at times. He won't tell me who he is."

"Got it." Uriah handed it to her. It looked a little like this:

 _4_

 _Pros: l Cons:_

 _Sweet l No dating_

 _Charming l Too suggestive_

 _Caring l False identity_

She handed it back to him. "Okay. Tobias now."

"Alright. Pros?"

"Charming—more than Four—, sweet, caring, helpful, hot, got muscles, sporty—did I mention he was absolutely gorgeous?—he likes me back, great kisser… There's too many to list," she said chuckling.

He finished writing, then said, "Cons?"

"Uh… He… um… Oh, we don't know each other very well. We've only known each other for about two weeks."

Uriah looked at her and paused. "Tris…," he said. "I'm not seeing the problem here." He handed her the napkin.

 _T_

 _Pros: l Cons:_

 _1\. Charming l 1. Known each other for 2 weeks_

 _2\. Sweet l_

 _3\. Caring l_

 _4\. Helpful l_

 _5\. Hot x2 l_

 _6\. Likes back l_

 _7\. Good kisser l_

She sighed. "He really is perfect, isn't he?"

Uriah nodded. "For you… Yeah. He is. He's really great to you, from what I can tell. And tell you what, our friends really like him too."

"I know. But I don't want to rush anything, you know?"

He nodded again. "I know what you mean. I get it. Do you want me to talk to him?"

She shook her head. "No. I'll do it myself. Let's go." She stood up and shoved the napkin into her pocket.

They arrived back at the station with twenty minutes left of their lunch break.

Uriah wished her luck, then she walked right on over to Tobias's desk where there was a sandwich.

"Tobias, can we talk?"

He looked up at her, then nodded. He stood up, the beckoned her towards the interrogation rooms.

"What's up?" he asked her, leaning against the wall.

She stood across from him and said, "You know what."

He sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean make you feel pressured or any—"

"No," she cut him off. "It's not that. I mean, you're a fantastic kisser—honestly, like, wow, be proud of yourself—," she laughed. "But I just… Here." She grabbed the napkin out of her pocket and tore off the side with Four, and him the side with his name on it. "A friend and I made this, and… I don't know. I just thought you should have it." She shrugged, and then she walked out of the room.

She was halfway to her desk when Tobias caught up with her.

"Tris," he said. "None of those things are true except that I like you. I mean… I'm not nice or smart or caring or good-looking or helpful or…I am _not_ any of those things. I'm just a fuckboy with horrible intentions, and I'm just going to end up hurting you in the long run. Somehow, someway, you'll get hurt, and I don't want that for you. That's the last thing I want. I care about you, and that's exactly why I have to stay away from you."

Tris took a step closer, and they were just inches away. There was no one in the hallway at the time.

"And another thing you should know…," he said softly, "is that if you come any closer, I'm not letting you go, and you'll get hurt later on. If you step closer, you will get hurt, and I won't let you go because I'm selfish."

She didn't move. "And we can't even be friends?"

He shook his head. "I'll hurt you. Emotionally, I mean. Things will lead to other things and it will _not_ go down well."

So she nodded, looking down, and pursing her lips. "Okay," she told him. "Looks like we're done then." She had a faint lining of tears in her eyes, and then she walked away.

She had five minutes of her lunch break left, so she savored it. She went outside the back door in the alley.

She sat down on the ground and pulled her knees to her chest.

Tris didn't cry. She sucked it up.

 _You hardly even knew him. Get over yourself,_ a voice in her mind chanted.

It was true though. She didn't want to believe it, even though it was true.

She was fine. She would be okay. She would—

 _"Detective Tris Prior, please report to Chief Max's office for the trip to the junior high. Detective Tris Prior, please report…"_

Her radio came on, and she reported there as she pulled herself together.

She carried herself to his office.

Tris walked past Tobias's desk on her way. There was no getting around him. She felt his eyes on her, but she ignored him. She strutted past him, confident in her walk. She also happened to be looking pretty fine that day too. She wore a dark red shirt that flared at the bottom a little with half sleeves. For pants she wore khakis and shoes she wore blood red heels. She had done her makeup all nice, and her lipstick matched her shirt.

She arrived at Chief Max's office. "Should I head down to the junior high?"

He nodded. "There will also be a firefighter there. His name is Jason. Please, please get along with him. We don't need another rivalry with the fire station."

She nodded. "Will do, sir."

Tris left the room and made her way to the school. She didn't drive, so luckily it wasn't far.

She arrived on time in the office.

"Right on time," the principal said. "I'm so glad you and Jason could come in to talk to the kids about smoking. We've already got a few smokers on our hands here in the eighth grade. It's sad, really. From my understanding, your father passed away from lung cancer, correct?"

Tris nodded. "Yes. I've done lots of research since, and it's really opened my eyes to a lot of things."

She, the principal, frowned. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Tris shook her head. "It's not your fault."

"Well, have you met Mr. Jason Johns?"

The man was about her age with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was tall and buff. "I have not," Tris said. "Hello, I'm Tris—Head Detective Beatrice Prior, more formally known as," she chuckled as she shook his hand.

"I've heard great things about you over at the main CFD. I'm Chief Jason Johns."

She smiled. "Well," she said, "let's get this show on the road."

They walked into a large classroom where most of the eight graders sat.

"Hi," Tris said. "My name Tris Prior, and I'm head detective of the Chicago Police Department."

"Hello," Jason said. "My name is Jason Johns, and I'm chief of the Chicago Fire Department."

"We have a little presentation for you," Tris told the kids. "Now, I know this is probably the last place you all want to be right now,"—most of them chuckled—"but this can be some seriously life-changing information. Once you hear these things, you will want to go home and want to annihilate any cigarretes in your house in a blender. Now, I'm not here to preach, just to give the facts. I lost my father from lung cancer due to long-term smoking, and I would never wish any of that pain upon any of you. I hope this is an eye-opener to you guys and even your teachers." Tris smiled, then looked over at Jason.

"Man," he said, "how am I supposed to go after that awesome intro?" Most of the kids laughed again. "Like Head Detective Prior said, I'm sure none of you want to be here. I wouldn't either if I was your age, but listen up kids, because this is one of the leading causes of death in adults _and_ teenagers. Care to share any facts, Tris?"

She smiled. "I would, Chief Johns. Thanks. Did you know that for every cigarette you smoke, you take eleven minutes off of your life? That means that if you smoke one pack, you take three and a half hours off of your life. And some people smoke a pack a day or more. Any input, Johns?"

They continued like that until there was about ten minutes left of class that day. Tris felt the presentation was quite successful, considering some of the kids' looks were quite terrifying.

"Any questions?" Tris asked.

A kid raised his hand and asked, "How old are you? You look too young to be head detective."

"I'm twenty-three. And I know I seem young, but that's what happens when you try hard to get where you need to be in life."

Jason picked out a kid with his hand raised. "Are you two an item?"

Some kids giggled. Jason and I just smirked at each other.

"No," Tris answered. "We actually just met today. Does anybody actually have a question about smoking?" she laughed.

All the hands went down.

Tris laughed. "Okay, ask me random questions. You, in blue." She pointed to a girl in a blue shirt in the very back.

"Is it fun being head detective?"

"Very. I get to interrogate all kinds of people. It's crazy fun."

Johns picked out another.

"Are you single?" a girl asked.

He just busted out laughing, and so did Tris.

"Yes," he answered.

The bell rang, signaling for the kids to leave school.

Jason and Tris filtered out along with the kids.

As they were walking down to the office, she felt something, a hand, squeeze her butt.

She was in shock, but before she knew she was pinning the boy up against the locker.

"Don't you ever, ever do that to me again. Or any woman, for that matter. How old are you—fifteen?"

He swallowed nervously and then nodded.

"I'm eight years older than you and you will treat me with respect, you get me?"

He nodded.

"It's people like you I end up arresting later in their life," she said, fiery and mad. "You know I could have sexual harassment charges brought up on you?"

His eyes just went wide.

"Actions speak louder than words, don't they?" Tris said. She let him go and the boy continued down through the hallway in a jog to catch up to his friends.

Jason was next to her the whole time. "That was… intense," he chuckled.

"I don't take kindly to disrespectful men," she spat.

"I get that," Johns said.

"Well," Tris said when calmed down and was in the parking lot, "it was nice meetin' ya, Johns. See you around."

She started walking away before he could say anything.

Boy, she was having a rough day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

 _I just can't bring myself to delete your number._

Just as Tris sat down on the couch after putting her pajamas on (which consisted of pajama pants and a sports bra), she received that text.

She sighed.

 _All within the past two days we've flirted, kissed, "separated," and now you're texting me. Pick a fucking side, Tobias,_ she sent him.

Tris rolled her eyes and got up from the couch. She walked into the kitchen and began to pop some popcorn. She just needed to binge on food and watch some movies on the couch. She didn't need Tobias, Tobias's drama, or even Four at this point. All she needed was food and movies. Simply those things.

When she sat back down on the couch, her phone buzzed through the couch.

 _I know. And I'm sorry for that._

Tris had enough.

 _I don't think you understand. You obviously have no regard for my feelings. First you tell me to stay away but then hours later you tell me you can't delete my number? I swear to god if you don't make up your mind within the next twenty seconds I will never speak to you again. And for being a former fuckboy, you don't have the lady skills you probably think you do. Sorry I wasn't as easy as any of your other girls._

And she sent it. She didn't feel bad, either. She turned on a movie on Netlfix called _The Quiet Ones._ She'd never seen it before, but it looked pretty good. Horror movies always helped her take her mind off of things because they scared the living hell out of her. She loved them. The adrenaline rushes, false sense of fear, and pure laughs. Some of them are just funny to her because she can just tell how fake they are.

 _The sad thing is… is that you're right._

Tris couldn't respond. She couldn't block him either, though. She just couldn't. And if she couldn't block him… God knows what else she might not be able to do.

Before she even knew what she was doing, she was out the door in a sweatshirt and leggings.

She arrived at the alley in two minutes.

"Four? I don't know if you're there, but you're the only person I know that could make me laugh at this point in my horrible day."

She waited a minute, but there was obviously no one there.

Tris turned away, a little sad.

"Hello, sweetcheeks," a voice said. Four's false voice. His deep, British, _fake_ voice. "What's the matter?"

Tris turned around to see him sitting on the fire escape, just like last week. Without him telling her to, she climbed up there and sat next to him. She crossed her arms over the rail level with her face.

"Your damn cousin. He's such an ass."

"What'd he do this time?"

"He tells me I should stay away from him but then he goes off texting tonight. I mean, who does that?"

"He told me he would hurt you if you two were together. Unintentionally, of course. I think he's making the wrong decision though. See, if you and I were a thing, I would still want to be with you… even though I know I'll hurt you. Hypothetically. All hypothetical."

Tris shook her head. "One day I'm just going to fall apart. I'm just going to collapse. Break. And I don't want to break all alone."

"Well, when you do, just come here. You can break in my arms."

"Four," Tris said, "what happened to you? Why aren't you making silly innuendos?" she chuckled.

"Well this seems like more of a serious conversation," he laughed.

"I don't know what to think about you. You're just… freaky."

"Freaky… _in the bed,_ " he said, laughing.

Tris laughed along with him. "There you are."

They were silent for a minute or two more, just enjoying each other's company.

"Tris," he said.

She turned her head toward him, and their lips were just a few inches away. When she turned her head, she didn't even realize he was so close. And she _still_ couldn't see his features. She was so tempted to just rip off his mask and pull down that hood. Before she wasn't that curious about finding out who he was, but… things change. She was so, so very curious.

"Yeah?" she said softly. She put a strand of loose hair that was falling from her bun behind her ear.

"You'd consider us friends, right?"

Tris shrugged. "I guess so. I mean, strangers don't totally confide in each other, do they?" she chuckled.

He smiled. "I suppose not. And friends… friends kiss, right?"

Tris's heartbeat sped up a little, but it didn't show. "No"—she smiled—"friends do not kiss. And we're friends."

He nodded. "Gotcha. So friends _do_ kiss, right? And we're friends. So that means I can kiss you," he said.

Tris laughed. "No. Friends _don't_ kiss. And we're friends. So that means you _can't_ kiss me."

"Right. Okay. I think I've got it now. Friends kiss. And since we're friends, we kiss."

Tris laughed. "No, Four."

"Okay. So you just said 'Yes, Four,' so…" Four leaned in.

"Four," Tris said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "No. I can't. Not now, not ever." She jumped down from the fire escape and walked in the direction of her home.

She didn't even know what to think, so she went straight to bed.

 _No thoughts means no worries,_ she told herself.

She was wrong.

* * *

In the morning she was swarmed with thoughts. She didn't know what to make of the night before, and all she knew was that she didn't want to think about it. So she turned on some music on as she got ready. Music had always helped get through whatever was bothering her. Bands like Three Days Grace and Tonight Alive always, _always_ helped her. Even if she strayed from them for a while, she'd go back to them. Always. The first thing that turned on was "What Are You so Scared Of?"

"What are you so scared of? Judgement's not unfair. It's what we've learned to see. What are you afraid of? This is not unheard of. Nothing's how it wasn't always meant to be, always meant to be." Tris sang along, knowing every lyrics.

What _was_ she so afraid of? She had her heart broken so many times before Four and Tobias. She should be used to it.

Tris knew she had to chose though. Tobias or Four? She couldn't have both. If they were the same person then, damn, that would've been amazing.

And then she realized. She dropped the brush that was running through her hair.

The same blue eyes. Same shape of the face. Same wittiness. Same height.

They were the _same._

And Tris couldn't believe how _blind_ she was. So, so very blind.

Four was Tobias, and Tobias was Four. The two men she found herself falling for, the same. But this, in fact, was _not_ amazing. He'd been lying to her. They were cousins? Lie. His identity? Lie. Her feelings? _Lie._

The sad thing was that there were so many more. So. Many. More. She honestly just could not believe it.

In shock, she picked up the hairbrush and finished getting ready.

She hardly recognized the girl in the mirror. Sure, she looked the same, but somehow everything had changed.

Everything. Changed.

And she realized right then, that she couldn't arrest him. She wouldn't be able to, and she didn't have the willpower to.

* * *

"We've got a homicide a few roads down. Detectives please report. Address 592 Underbrook Road," her radio announced.

She and Uriah shared a look, then started to walk outside. On the way out, she saw Tobias at his desk.

"Hey, Uriah, wait for me in the squad car? I'll only be a sec."

"Of course. Hurry up though."

Uriah was out the door when Tris approached Tobias's desk.

She stood in front of it. She leaned on it with her hands face down. She leaned in toward his face, only two to three inches away.

She whispered. "I know about you. I know what you are. And I hope to God that I'm wrong. But the thing is, is that I'm rarely wrong about my accusations. So, please tell me, how do you spend your nights?"

He sighed, looked down, put his face in his hands, and shut his eyes. "Tris…"

She dryly chuckled. "That's what I thought. Goodbye, Tobias. Or should I say—Four?" she whispered quietly, but harshly. Then she walked away, angry.

Tris simply walked out, and she knew that would be the last thing she ever said to him.

When Tris arrived in the passenger seat of the squad car, she simply said, "Drive."

They arrived in a matter of minutes. Tris needed this case to keep her mind off things. Any case, white frankly.

She showed her badge to the surrounding officers and ducked under the yellow tape. She stepped into the house to see a man, dead, on the ground. It looked like he had multiple bullet wounds to the chest. His wife, presumably, was standing on the opposite side of the room, and she heard her sobs fall behind the sounds of the sirens. She was sobbing on the shoulder of a man. Tris's heart broke for this woman.

Tris took a few steps toward them, nearing her.

"We had so many plans for our lives, Josh. So many."

"Excuse me, Ms….?" Tris asked. "Are you the wife?"

The woman nodded. "Patricia Young. I was his—Edward Young's—wife."

"Hello," Tris said. "My name is Tris Prior, head detective of the Chicago Police Department. I offer you my deepest condolences. I am so sorry for your loss. May I ask you some questions in a few minutes?"

"Of course."

Tris softly smiled at her and walked over to Uriah, who was taking notes.

"Brief me," Tris said to him.

"Edward Young. Late thirties. Appears to be murder, but still waiting for Will from forensics to confirm. After all, who commits suicide with four to chest y'know? We have to wait for the autopsy from Marlene to find out more. No signs of forced entry. Victim _did_ seem to put up quite a fight with bloody knuckles and a few bruises to the face that were obviously made from punching and kicking. Like I said, we'll have to wait for the autopsy for more info."

Tris held out her hand, and she felt three sugary things in her hand. "Thanks, Uriah. We need to talk later, by the way," she said as she munched on a gummy worm.

"About what?"

"Long story."

"Okay. You want to take the wife? I'll take the friend. Josh Newberry, I guess."

"Sounds good."

They strutted over there.

"Hello again, Ms. Young. Mind if I ask you those questions now?"

"Of course. Anything."

"Where you the time the murder was committed?"

"Grocery shopping."

"What is your relationship with Josh Newberry?"

"Close friend. We all would play poker on Fridays," she said with a chuckle a she wiped her tears.

"Did you ever think Mr. Young got in any trouble?"

She nodded. "He was supposed to rob a bank with a couple of friends, but he backed out at the last minute. Said he couldn't do it. So the other two did it together and ended up getting caught a few years ago. They're supposed to be out now, so I think they might've been involved in this somehow."

Tris nodded as she scribbled down notes in her book. "And their names?"

"Tony Franklin and Jay York."

Tris nodded again and smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Young. I think that's all I'll be needing. If there's anything you ever need, just call me." Tris handed Patricia her card and headed out, side by side with Uriah.

"What'd you get?" she asked Uriah as he drove.

"Josh Newberry is a friend of the victim. Said he secretly was in love with the wife. Didn't know him long. About three months, but still close friends. You?"

"Patricia Young. Wife of victim, obviously. Said she was at the grocery store while crime was committed. Pretty sure she didn't murder him. Supposedly he and his friends were supposed to rob a bank together but he backed out last second. Tony Franklin and Jay York were their names. We need a background check on Josh, Patricia, Edward, Jay, and Tony. All of them. I think somehow they're connected with the wife. Even Jay and Tony."

"Wow," Uriah said. "That's all," he said sarcastically.

"Let's just get back to the station."

She needed anything to keep her mind off of Tobias. Anything.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Uriah and Tris arrived at the station. He had Tris cracking up. He knew she was down, so he was telling her random jokes.

"Uriah," she laughed. "I am _dying_."

"Hopefully that's a good thing."

"Yes," she chuckled, "it's very good."

They walked right past Tobias's desk while she was cracking up. She took a short glance at him, and their eyes met. He seemed upset, but she was laughing. Sure on the outside she was laughing, but the inside was another story. On the inside she simply felt… blue. Blue was the word. She was sad. Sad nothing happened, sad he lied to her, and sad he was such a jerk. Such a hot, hot jerk. But that's what she deserved after trusting somebody outside their little group. She genuinely thought he was a great, trustworthy guy, but she thought wrong. She didn't know why she even began trusting him in the first place. She should've known better.

Tris didn't know why she didn't see the similarities in Four and Tobias, and that made her feel like a complete and utter idiot.

They were back at their desks, and Tris put the name "Edward Young" into the system. He had a clean record. Looked like a totally normal guy judging by this record. She also entered Tony Franklin and Jay York.

Both of them had attempted robbery in their record, but nothing else. Neither of their addresses were listed because they'd just gotten out of prison.

Josh Newberry was next up.

Clean slate. Nothing.

This got Tris nowhere in the case. Looked like she'd have to wait for information from forensics and Marlene's autopsy.

So she got up from her desk since it was 5:15 and said to Uriah, "See you tomorrow, partner."

"See ya," he said.

She was walking home when someone appeared in the shadows of alley.

"You lied to me," she said. "That was an unforgivable lie, Tobias."

He jumped down from the fire escape. "I know." He wasn't wearing his little costume. Just a plaid t-shirt and jeans with tennis shoes. She wasn't afraid to admit he looked pretty good in it.

"I know that it's unforgivable," he told her. "I know that you probably hate me. I know that you most likely never want to speak to me again. And I know that you still have feelings for me."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "What makes you think that?"

He stepped forward, a foot away from her. "The way you looked at me in the station today. When you were laughing with Uriah. Your expression… I will _never_ forget that expression, Tris. Never. You looked at me with love and hate, admiration and disgust all in one look. And that made me realize that I want to be with you. Even if I break your heart. As long as you'll allow me to be by your side, I'll be there. Please just give me another chance, Tris. Please."

She didn't say anything for a minute. "Four—"

"Please call me Tobias."

"Why?" she asked.

"It's the only true thing I know about myself."

She sighed. "Tobias, you realize I could have you arrested right this second, right?"

He nodded. "Most would probably leave town, but not me."

"Well why the hell not?" she asked.

"You. You're here."

Tris shook her head. "You're insane, Tobias."

"I know. How I know this is because I'm in—I like the woman assigned to arrest me."

"Tobias…," she said. "I'm supposed to hate you!"

"Supposed?" Tobias asked.

"Yes! You've lied to me countless time, Tobias. Countless. And somehow I still can't bring myself to hate you. I honestly don't know why I don't hate you, and it's really confusing me," she dryly chuckled.

"Tris, there are so many times I've wondered that myself, and the fact that you're still here has to mean _something_. _Anything,_ Tris. Even if it's the slightest bit of feelings you have for me still, we could make it work. No more lies, no more confusion. Just happiness. You deserve to just be drowned in happiness. And I can make that happen, Tris. I truly think I can make that happen. But only if you let me."

Tris didn't know what to say. Too many emotions were flooding her mind with "What if" and "Why."

But she forced herself to decline. "I'm sorry, Tobias, but I can't do that. I… There are just too many risks, and I really don't enjoy getting my heart broken. In fact, it's rather agonizing."

"I know that, Tris, but if you just give me—"

"Another chance," she said for him. "If I just gave you another chance, maybe things would work. And you know what?—maybe they would. But like I said," she told him, "my heart just can't afford it."

She walked past him and in the direction of her apartment.

"Tris…," he said. "Please."

She pretended not to hear him though. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle the look of disappointment and sadness on his face if she turned around.

"I'm not going to stop!" he shouted.

She stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around.

"I won't stop until I prove to you that I'm good enough. My whole life, I've never been good enough, and I've never tried to be. But this time I'm going to try. I want this happen, Tris. So badly. And I _will_ be good enough, and maybe then you'll accept me."

Tris kept walking, then wiped a lone tear rolling down her cheek. She couldn't help but hear the desperation in his voice that made her want to melt and just tackle him with kisses. Tris knew she couldn't do that though.

She knew it was for her own good to just stay away.

* * *

Tris went into work the next day tired as hell. She was up all night thinking of Tobias. She had absolutely no idea what to do.

When she approached her desk, she was confronted with fifty roses laying on her desk tied up with a bow.

"Looks like you've got a secret admirer," Uriah said to her. His desk was right across from hers.

She took the card laying beside it. It read, _"Fifty roses, and all of them combined still aren't as beautiful as you."_

Although Tris admitted that was a heartwarming quote, she couldn't accept these.

She looked over in the direction of Tobias's desk, and he was sadly smiling at her. His eyes had happiness written all over them, shining through those cute glasses of his.

Tris didn't smile back though. Just shook her head then swept them into the trash can next to her desk.

"Wow," Uriah said, "that was a bit harsh, don't ya think?"

She shook her head. "No"—she sat down—"I don't."

* * *

Tris hadn't spoken to Tobias since the night in the alley.

It's not like she wanted to anyway.

Just like the day before, there were roses on her desk when she came into work.

Except that time there were twice as much.

"Man," Uriah said. "Whoever this guy is must really want your forgiveness."

"Yeah," Tris said plainly.

She read the card.

 _"One hundred roses still don't compare to your beauty."_

Tris shook her head, then looked at Tobias. He stared right back at her with hopeful smile.

She couldn't fight he smile on her face. She carefully set the vase of roses behind her desk where nobody would knock them over.

She looked back over at Tobias and met his eyes through his nerdy, cute glasses. He winked at her and then got back to work.

Inside, her heart fluttered, but on the outside, she just rolled her eyes.

"Ah, so that's who it is," Uriah said. "I thought you two were through…?"

Tris sighed. "We _are_ through."

"Yeah. Because it totally looks like it."

"Well I'm done with him," she explained, "but he's not done with me, I guess."

"I'm going to laugh when you two are married," he chuckled.

Tris rolled her eyes. "There's a 95% chance that won't happen."

"And the other 5%?" he questioned.

She didn't say anything for a minute. "The other five percent is… open to suggestion."

Uriah laughed and shook his head. "My Tris. My sweet, incompetent, blind Tris," he chuckled.

"Hey," she said defensively, "what's that supposed to mean?"

He laughed. "Whoever this guy—Tobias—," he fake coughed, "obviously has really strong feelings for you. Even if you can't forgive him for whatever he did, he won't let up. He's not going to give up on you and this relationship. And judging by what those cards say, he thinks you're the most beautiful thing he's seen in the world. You're lucky to have such a caring guy."

Tris furrowed her eyebrows. "Did you read those?"

"What? The cards?"

"Yeah."

"Of course I did," he chuckled. "And, by the way, I know you threw away those fifty roses yesterday, but I saw you slip the card into your pocket before you swept 'em into the trash."

"How…? I made sure no one was looking."

"I'm a detective, Tris. I see everything."

She sighed. "Can we just drop this topic?"

Uriah just shrugged. "Can you avoid your problems forever?"

* * *

The next day there was one singular rose. There was a card too.

It read, "You're going to make me go broke."

Tris quietly laughed to herself, then looked over to Tobias.

He was smiling right back at her, like she expected him to.

She remembered explaining to him the things she liked in a guy. To be kind, caring, funny, strong, brave, tall (a personal preference), honest, modest but still confident, and, most importantly, he treated her well.

Tris wondered if maybe he was going down the list, showing her the things she wished for in a man. So far he'd shown her he was kind, caring, and funny. Tomorrow she expected him show off his bravery.

She chuckled to herself as she reread the card. She shoved it in her pocket and sat down on her desk.

Later that day, she walked down to Chief Max's office.

She knock on the already open door and stepped.

"Hey, Chief. Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Um, I don't know how exactly to ask this, but are in-office relationships allowed? I mean within the same department. Because I know Marlene is the coroner and Uriah is JD and that they're allowed to be together. Same with Will in forensics and Christina as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. And Shauna the forensics—"

Max cut her off. "I get what you mean, Tris. And no. It is not permitted within the same department. In fact, I'm being quite flexible by letting people be together within the same _precinct._ Anyhow, is this about the secret admirer that's been leaving flowers on your desk? Those are, uh, roses or something, right?"

She chuckled even though she was a bit disappointed. "Yes, sir. It does apply to that very situation."

"Ah."

"So about the rule. So, me and cop would be restricted?"

"Yes. Is a cop sending you the flowers?" he asked.

"Yeah. But don't worry. I won't give him the time of day." She winked at her chief and walked out.

Tris slunk against her chair when she got back. She thought all relationships were allowed.

It was for the best though. She knew that in her head, but for some reason her heart disagreed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

 _"Strength is built, not given."_ There laid a rose, piece of paper, and picture on Tris's desk when she arrived in the morning. On the back of the picture was that quote in Tobias's handwriting. On the front there was a picture of Tobias, shirtless, doing pull ups.

 _"Not to brag,"_ the card said, _"but I modeled for the athletic section at Hollister when I was 19. Just sayin'."_

Tris rolled her eyes, but put the picture in her pocket. He _did_ look quite handsome. And still did, matter of fact.

She looked over in his direction to see him smirking. He winked at her and then turned back to his work.

Every time she was reading one of his dumb little cards, she felt his eyes on her. Every. Time.

Later that day Tris was about close to a big break in the case. She knew Josh was involved in the murder somehow, but she didn't have enough evidence to support it.

Marlene, the coroner, had given her some details about the autopsy. There wasn't much she could use, but one thing she couldn't shake off was the fact that he had Pompeii Purple nail polish under his fingernails. The wife's DNA was also found, but that's expected. She's his _wife._

Tris suspected that possibly he was having an affair.

She couldn't figure out what his two ex-partners from the bank robbery had to do with anything. She began to start thinking that maybe they had nothing to do with it.

But right then, in that moment, it all clicked.

She rushed herself, Uriah, two cops, and the chief into the car.

They drove to the wife's house fast as possible, sirens screaming in their ears.

Tris got out of the car and knocked on the door harshly.

Uriah quickly came up to her and said, "Tris, what on Earth are you doing?"

"Yeah, care to tell us what's going on, detective?" Chief Max asked.

She didn't say anything because the door flew open.

"Hello, Mrs. Young," Tris said with a five-star plastered smile.

"Hello, detective. How may I help you? Come in, come in."

They all stepped inside and stood behind Tris.

"Can I get Chicago's finest some tea or lemonade?" she asked them.

"No, thank you, Mrs. Young. We won't be here for long."

"Okay. What can I do for you all?"

"Answer me this, Patricia: Why did you kill your husband?"

"Tris," Max warned.

"Trust me on this," she said.

"Why," the wife said. "that is absolutely preposterous, detective. How _dare_ you accuse me of such a thing."

"Your nails," Tris said, stepping closer. "They're beautiful. What color?—Pompeii Purple, maybe?"

"…Yes. Why?"

"Gorgeous color. But why is this one chipped?" Tris asked. She grabbed her hand and pointed to her left thumb.

"Must have scraped it on something. What does this have to do with my husband's murder?"

"Aren't _women_ only supposed to wear nail polish?"

"Well, yes," she chuckled.

"Then why did my coroner find a piece of Pompeii Purple nail polish in the beds of his nails. As if he were to be fighting back?"

"He was my _husband._ Of course my DNA will be all over him."

"Mhm," Tris said. "Then do you care to explain why Josh Newberry's prints were on him?"

"They were friends. What is that supposed to imply?"

"Okay. Here's my theory. You were having an affair with Josh. He wanted you to have a divorce. You couldn't do that. Not because you love him, but because you wanted all the money. Not half, but all. So you and Josh decided to kill him. Then take the money. Then flee the country. Because your undying love for each other was _so strong._ "

"Pat? Who's downstairs?" Newberry shouted as he came down the stairs.

"Just some detectives."

"Mrs. Young, is this true?" Chief asked.

She paused. "I regret it. I regret everything," she cried. "He made me do it though. He made me put those bullets into his chest," she screamed.

"Patricia Young, you have the right to remain silent," Uriah told her. Tris walked out of the house and into the squad car. She didn't put the keys in the ignition. She just sat in the car.

"Tris," Max said as he climbed into the passenger sear. "That was an amazing bust. How'd you know?"

Tris sadly smiled and shrugged. "I'm good at what I do."

"That, you are," Max said. "Go ahead and take the rest of the day off."

Tris almost accepted, but she couldn't. "Chief, I'd like to keep working. I have a lot on my mind, and I think I should keep my mind off things."

"Okay. I've got one case back at the station, but as soon as you solve it, you're going home. Since it's already four o'clock, you'll probably solve it at six if you really put your mind to it."

"Alright. Thanks. Let's get going back to the station."

It was just Max and Tris in the car since Uriah rode with one of the cops.

"So what's been on your mind, Tris? That cop that likes you?"

She sighed. "I… Yeah. It is."

"Do you need me to talk to internal affairs? Have this guy transferred?"

Tris immediately shook her head. "No. No, that's not necessary. He's an amazing guy, really… I just… he lied to me about something big, and I don't know that I can forgive him."

"Is he married?"

Tris laughed. "No, Max."

"Then what?"

"He, um…It's hard to explain. He's just not the guy I thought he was."

"I know I don't know who he is and that I'm not involved in this, but he seems like genuinely nice guy. I mean, the smile he leaves on your face when you read the card and see the roses is priceless. You just… if you saw yourself you'd think your were in love."

Tris about laughed her head off. "Yeah, right."

"Whatever you say, Tris," he told her as she parked the car.

She got out of the car and walked into the station. Uriah must've gotten there before her because she got multiple pats on the back and people telling her she did well. He always did brag about her being "the best partner ever."

She didn't particularly like the attention, but the gesture from Uriah was nice.

She walked with Max to his office for her new case.

"Female. Late thirties. Selena Piper. Nobody knows if it's suicide or murder."

Max handed her the file and she peeked inside.

"Suicide," she said, then closed the file. "Now can you give me another case?"

"Woah, woah, woah, Tris. Explain."

She sighed and opened the file. "You see the cuts on her wrists? She was depressed. And from the scar tissue I can tell that they've stayed permanently over the years. And from the angle of the slits it shows that no one could've imitated that. Unfortunate and sad, but true. People don't see all they have to live for," she sighed.

Max blew out a breath. "Damn, your good, Prior."

"Any other cases?"

"Nope. As much as I hate admitting it, crime rate has gone down 30% since Four."

"Ah," Tris said. "Four sure does cause a lot of problems these days, doesn't he?"

"He's a blessing _and_ a curse."

Tris chuckled. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Take it easy for the rest of the day. Go home, Tris. You're the reason you have no cases. You've been practically working yourself to death."

She sighed. "Chief…"

"Detective. I'm ordering you to go home," he chuckled.

"Okay, Max, I get it," she laughed. "Have a good night."

"You too, detective."

Tris walked out of the department, and someone caught up with her as she walked on the sidewalk.

"Tris Prior."

"Tobias Eaton."

Tris didn't turn her head in his direction; she just knew his voice.

"What're you doing?"

"Walking," she said plainly.

"Fun fun. You wanna go to dinner tonight?"

Tris laughed and stopped in her tracks. "What do you think this is? Do you think we're friends or something?" she asked angrily. "Cause we're not. Whatever we once had or maybe still do have is through. We"—she pointed her fingers back and forth between the two of them—"are through. Get it?"

Tobias didn't even look affected by what she just said.

"So that's a no on the dinner…?"

She rolled her eyes and walked away.

"I know where you live," he said, laughing.

"My god, Tobias, you don't know when to give up, do you?"

"I don't give up. Not really my thing."

She sighed. "One of use has to give up sometime, or we both end up losing."

"How do you mean?"

"If I give up, I lose."

"And?"

"And by giving up, that means I fell in love with you. And I end up losing because love is a horrible, horrible thing that breaks many people. All it ever does is break, burn, and end."

"False," Tobias said. "Love can't end if you find the right person."

"Death," Tris said.

"Even then," Tobias shot back, "it goes on."

They arrived at her apartment.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Tris asked, changing the subject.

"Chief let me off early."

"Ah."

"So that's a definite no on the dinner?"

Tris rolled her eyes and stepped into her apartment.

He banged on the door. "I'll buy!"

"I'm not leaving," he shouted through it. "I'll sit out here the rest of the night if I have to."

Tris sighed. She went to her bedroom and put on a giant sweatshirt along with short-shorts. Even though it was only a little before four o'clock, she went to bed with her hair in a bun.

She slept for about three hours, until six o'clock, then got up and figured she should eat.

She remembered about Tobias out in the hallway as she poured her cereal, which was her dinner. She opened the door to see Tobias leaning up against the wall next the her door. Luckily she was at the end of the hallway, so none of her neighbors would complain.

"Tobias," she said groggily. "Why are you still here?"

"I told you I wasn't leaving, Prior."

"Ugh," she groaned. "I really hate you sometimes."

"Did you just sleep for three hours straight in the middle of the day?"

"Yeah. I did. It was nice."

"That explains the giant sweatshirt and bun."

She yawned. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'm really appropriately dressed, am I?" she laughed.

"Appropriate for me," he chuckled. "You look beautiful in those big sweatshirts of yours."

She blushed and smiled while looking down. "Thanks." She walked over to sit down next to him.

Tris leaned her back up against the wall and slumped down beside him.

"I still can't believe you waited here," she told him.

"Told you I wouldn't give up."

"Looks like you fulfilled that," she said with a laugh.

He chuckled. "You're an amazing person, you know that?"

She was surprised at what he said. "How so?"

"So, so many things that I can't explain to you about yourself. You'd never believe me if told you half the things on my mind."

"Try me," she told him with a smirk.

"Well, for starters, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

She huffed.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me."

She sighed. "Sorry. I just don't think I'm the most beautiful girl you've ever seen."

"Well, you are. And I'm sorry you don't realize that."

Tris leaned in a little towards his face to kiss him, but decided against it.

He must've known what she was about to do, so he quickly leaned over to her and crashed his lips to hers.

She hesitantly kissed back, but ended up completely making out with him in the middle of her hallway. She ran her hands through his hair more than once and he laid a hand on her bare leg. Nothing too risqué though.

His hand traveled up, up, up toward her hair. He took it out of its bun so her blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders. There she was, making out in the middle of the hallway in her big sweatshirt and nerdy glasses.

She didn't want to be anywhere else, either.

She finally pulled back and rested her forehead on his.

Tris whispered, "Bad boy, good lips."

And then she got up, and walked back into her apartment.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

When Tris arrived at work, there was a rose and a card on her desk, as she expected there to be. There was also a picture.

It was of him and her standing next to each other. It was a while back when they weren't "fighting" with each other. They were at Buffalo Wild Wings, just the two of them, and Tobias forced her to take a picture with him. The waitress had taken it.

Since she hated pictures, she had dug her face into his arm. His arm was around her pulling her closer. He was whispering to her to just take the picture.

"For me?" he had asked.

They did end up getting a good, normal picture, but Tobias must've like this one better for some reason. Tris thought because it probably looked like they were closer.

She remembered Tobias's breath tickling her ears, and their faces being so close that it made her heart rate spike.

The looks on their faces in that picture made her smile to herself. The way they looked at each other was so… amazing. Tris just couldn't believe she was looking at him like that. She could only see half her face in the picture, but she was looking up him with happiness all over her face. And he was staring down at her with total admiration.

Maybe Max was right. She'd never seen herself look at him until then in that picture. They really did look at each other like they were each other's world.

Before she realized it, she was giving him the same look as she did in the picture.

And he was giving it right back.

She walked over to him and leaned her hands down on his desk.

"Why this one?" She said as she held the picture up. There was a crack of a smile on her lips.

"Because every time I look at it it reminds me of what we could be."

Tris couldn't withhold the grin spreading on her face, but it soon turned into a frown.

"Why are you doing this? You told me you didn't want to be together because you'd hurt me, but now you're trying to make this all up to me and swoon me over."

"Question is: Is it really gonna work?"

Tris paused. "I myself don't know the answer to that question."

He chuckled. "Better than a flat-out no."

"Well whatever you're doing, it's working. Now please stop," she chuckled.

"Sorry, what?" he asked, laughing.

"I asked you to stop," she laughed.

"If it's working, why would I stop?" he continued to laugh.

"Because if I do end up falling in love, I'll blame you."

"Love isn't a bad thing, Prior."

"Love is delayed pain."

"How so?"

"It's gotta end sometime, like I said before."

Tobias didn't say anything for a minute.

"I guess you're right," he told her with a sigh.

"You see my point now?" she asked.

"Yes, I do." He nodded. "But it doesn't mean I'm willing to give up on us," he said softly. He stood up from his chair and looked down on Tris, who was standing across from him. "Because I know you feel what I feel too. What we have. How we make each other feel. And don't bother denying it. I see right through you, Tris."

She looked down, away from his eyes. "Tobias… I— I can't. Not right now," she said. She turned around to walk away and shoved the picture in her pocket.

He caught up with her though. "Tris, can we please talk about this?"

"Not right now. We're in the middle of the station. If someone overhears us about… us, then tells Max, we could get in serious trouble."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You don't know?"

"Don't know _what_ , Tris?"

"Since we're within the same department, we can't, uh, be together," she said quiet and nervously.

His eyebrows raised and and he looked surprised. "What?"

"Yeah."

"Well"—he scratched the back of his neck—"I guess we're over then."

She was slightly shocked by his words since he was so adamant before about them being together. "A—Are you serious?"

"No, Tris," he said with a laugh. "I'm going to do everything in my power for us to be together. I don't give a fuck about what Max says about this. I want to be with you, and no rule is going to prevent me from doing so."

She softly smiled at him. "Tobias. Later you can profess your love to me." She winked at him and began to walk away.

But, yet again, he caught up with her. "Maybe at, say, your apartment after work?"

She only turned around and winked, giving him no specific answer.

Later that day after work, Tris was at home. She was in her sports bra and leggings eating some carrots with ranch. She was about to go running, so she wanted a snack beforehand.

She heard a knock on the door while she was on the search for her earbuds. She finally found them, then opened the door.

She was slightly surprised at who was standing there, but realized she shouldn't have been.

"Tobias," she said.

"Tris."

"Um, hi?" she said, chuckling.

"I probably should've texted," he said as he laughed. "Sorry."

"Oh, no, it's okay. Come in?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"So what're you doing here?"

"I figured we could talk about… us," he told her.

 _Oh no,_ she thought. This was exactly the conversation she wanted to avoid.

"Well," she said, "I was just about to go on a run. Care to join?" He was dressed casually in gym shorts and a t-shirt, so she figured she may as well have invited him.

"Yeah, sure. But, uh, after, maybe we can talk?"

She didn't want to get his hopes up, so she said, "I don't know."

"Tris," he said, "I know you don't want to have this conversation, but we have to eventually."

She sighed. "Then let's just do it now and get it over with," she said irritatedly.

"Prior, don't get pissy with me."

"Eaton, don't get pissy with me," she said, plopping down on the couch. She crossed her legs.

"Okay, Tris, let's just be honest with each other for five straight minutes."

She nodded.

"What are you so scared of?" he asked.

She sighed. "I guess I'm just afraid of getting my heart broken. I mean, who isn't, right?"

"Me. I'm willing to take risks in life, even if I know I'll get hurt in the end. I advise you to do the same. Life is too short not to."

"Why do you keep persisting? Why can't you just go get some other girl?" she asked, exasperated.

"Because I don't _want_ any other girl. I want _you,_ Tris."

"But why?" she chuckled. "I'm just… plain Tris. You could have any other girl, I'm sure."

"I don't think you understand how much I look up to you. I mean, you're the best detective Chicago has ever had. You're younger than me, too. Not only that, but you're beautiful, brave, intelligent, kind, strong, and… everything I could imagine in my dream girl. You _are_ my dream girl, Tris. That's why I will not stop until I get what I want. More so, _who_ I want."

She smiled, then got up. She didn't know what to say.

Tris walked into the kitchen, putting the carrots away along with the ranch dressing.

Tobias followed her into the kitchen.

"No response, huh?" he asked with a smirk.

"Oh," she said, "I've got plenty of responses for ya."

He chuckled. "Why don't you tell me these responses of yours?"

"Well, first off, thanks. Second: All of those are false. Third and last: It's really hard for me to be a dream girl when everything about me sucks," she said with a laugh.

"False," he said. "Very, very false. Everything about you is amazing." He stepped closer. "Everything."

Tris felt like she was back where she was a week ago when they had their first kiss. When he made her feel like a masterpiece, pinned up against the wall.

"This reminds me of a few things," he said as he put his palms against the wall behind her.

"Please don't stand so close to me," she whispered softly.

"Why?" he asked, even though she knew he already knew the answer.

"I'm having trouble breathing." Her breathing was uneven, and his closeness didn't help whatsoever.

"How long can we keep this up, Tris?" he asked quietly as he leaned his lips toward hers.

"Good question," she answered. "Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to it."

"Good thing I do."

"And what might that be?" she said, slowly tilting her head toward him.

"Well, first we're gonna kiss tonight. Maybe more than once." Tobias grazed his lips against hers slightly. "Then at work I'll leave a nice rose on your desk. Then we'll pretend like nothing happened. Then maybe two, three nights later we'll kiss again. And repeat. Over and over you will not acknowledge what we have and we won't become something."

"Oh," she said, "I've acknowledged it. I'm just too scared to see what we'll become."

"Tris," he said. "I know this is probably a dick move, but I don't care. I don't care that you're scared, because I just… I want to kiss you so badly that I just flat-out do _not_ care. It's like you're breaking and entering into my life, accept I want you here."

"You aren't a dick. And I wouldn't be totally upset if you kissed me."

"Am I ever going to be able to have you? Just… _have_ you. Where there will be no second guessing. No job to get in the way…"

"I don't know if you'll have me in future," she said. "But you do right now."

"I guess I just want something I can never have."

"Again," she told him, "you have me now."

So Tobias lightly brushed his lips against hers. He seemed like he was going to actually kiss her, but said, "Tris… I don't kn—"

"Dammit, Tobias," she said. "Just kiss me already."

And then she kissed him, putting her hands on his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, and kissing her deeper. He made her feel like… like she was worth something. Like she could matter.

It didn't help that she was only in her sports bra and leggings, and that he looked very, very built in that tight t-shirt of his. As much as she loved it, she wanted it off.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and tangled her hands in his hair as she pressed her against the wall. She took his shirt off ran her hands up and down his toned upper half.

His hands ran around her waist, going left and right, up and down.

She just realized how minty his lips tasted, and how delicious they were.

His nice and minty lips travelled down her jawline and then down her neck.

He made her go weak, so luckily it was the other way around for him. She made him feel strong and powerful. Her breathing was so uneven the entire time that she couldn't catch her breath.

"Tobias," she breathed as he met her lips again.

She kissed him again, then said, "Tobias, we shouldn't. If we go any further…," she warned.

He pulled his head away. "Yeah. Sorry."

She unwrapped her legs from his waist, and could barely stand. He made her so weak, yet so strong.

They still were close together, neither of them having the willpower to move.

Tris was shamelessly staring at his torso with muscles.

She laid her palms on his waist, dragged them up, up, and up, and then wrapped them around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes and softly kissed him.

"Remind me to go shirtless more often," he whispered as he chuckled.

"I have no shame when I say this: You do have a very, very nice body, Eaton."

He smirked. "It's available anytime to you."

She laughed and pulled away. She walked past him as she said, "Man, that sounds like something Four would say."

"You could say I'm a bit schizophrenic," he chuckled.

"Are not."

"Just a little," he said, following her into the living room.

She smiled. "You should probably go home before I start making out with you again," she said, eyeing his chest.

He laughed. "No, I think I'll just stay here. Shirtless."

Tobias sat down on the couch, opened his legs, and Tris said in between them. She was quite comfortable as she leaned back against his bare chest. He entwined their hands together before she could form a coherent thought. So, just like that, she fell asleep cuddling with Tobias and their hands interlocked.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

"Tris Prior!"

She shot up from the couch from in between Tobias's legs. "What?" she asked groggily, just waking up.

Tobias groaned, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her back down.

"Tobias," she whispered. "Wake up." She laid a hand on his cheek as she whispered him sweet-nothings, which were really sweet-everythings.

She sat up again and said, "Christina, what're you doing here?"

"We agreed for breakfast before work. I see why you didn't remember," she told her with a smirk. "Sleep well, Tobias?" Christina teased.

Tobias sat up and said, "Yes, very."

"Christina, can you wait outside for, like, five minutes, please? I'll be ready by then."

"All right," she said, smirking. "Don't have too much fun."

With that, she went back outside.

Tris turned around on the couch and was met with Tobias's lovely, sleepy face.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning, indeed." He leaned in and kissed her, and she willingly kissed back. She ended up being on top of him on the couch, making out with him, and loving every second of it.

"Tobias," she said, "you should probably go."

"Yeah," he answered. He kissed her one last time and got up. "See you at work."

She smiled. "Yeah. See ya."

He got up, put on his shirt, winked at her, and left.

She got up and put on some nice clothes for work, then met Chris outside.

"Beatrice Prior, what the hell just happened?"

"Um," she nervously chuckled, "what do you mean?"

"What I _mean_ is for you to tell me why the _hell_ I found a shirtless Tobias and you in a bra and leggings sleeping together on the couch, cuddling, and holding hands!"

Tris sighed. "Okay, okay. So, as you know, a he's been leaving flowers on my desk. He did something unforgivable, but I can't seem to stay away. Anyway, he wanted to talk about some things tonight, but I forgot because I was about to go on a run. Hence the leggings and sports bra. Basically we ended up making out and then cuddling. Nothing more."

"Tris. Oh my god. Oh my god!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"What was the unforgivable thing he did though?"

"Ah… yeah, that's not my secret to tell," she said.

"Tris. We're best friends. You can tell me anything."

Tris sighed. She didn't know whether or not to tell her, but decided she should.

"Christina, what I'm about to you… you can't tell anybody. I mean it."

"Okay, okay, tell me!" she pressed.

"Tobias… Tobias is Four."

Christina blinked, showing no emotion. "You mean… _the_ Four? As in the vigilante, Four?" she whispered.

Tris nodded. "You can't tell _anybody._ Seriously. Not even Will."

She shook her head. "I won't. So you love the guy you have to arrest?"

"I don't love him," she said immediately. "I just like him. I don't even know if we'll date."

"What do you mean? First off, you totally love him. Sorry, but I can tell. Second, why wouldn't you date?"

"First: No I don't love him. Second: I wouldn't date him because he's… Four."

"Tris," she said, "you have _got_ to learn to take chances in life. You're staying within your comfort zone too much. Break free from it. Don't let it rule you."

She sighed. "You're right. You think I should give it a shot?"

"It's obvious you love him, so yeah, I think you should."

"I don't love him! I've known him for, like, three weeks!"

"Love is love. It is what it is. No period of time can measure how much you love someone. You could love him for three weeks or three years and it'd still be love. Love. Is. Love."

Tris sighed. "I guess you're right, Chris. But it's hard, you know?"

"I know it is, but what if you end up really loving him?"

Tris sighed, yet again. "Exactly. 'What if?'"

"Tris, you're so difficult. Just do it."

"You know what?" Tris said. "I will."

* * *

After breakfast with Christina, they walked to Tris's desk together because Chris wanted to see this rose thing for herself.

Tris thought maybe honesty was next, and she was right.

There was a singular rose, like usual, with a card.

 _"I know you like honesty, and I've been lacking in that lately, so here are ten honest facts:_

 _You're beautiful_

 _You're amazing_

 _You're an awesome kisser_

 _You're beyond my wildest dreams_

 _I don't know why, but I can never seem to get you out of my head_

 _Your music taste is quite nice_

 _You smell amazingly_

 _Cuddling with you is like sleeping on clouds_

 _Holding you makes me feel like I matter_

 _I'm sorry I never told you these things before."_

Tris smiled as she read the card, and Christina was leaning over her shoulder trying to read it.

"Aw," Christina said, "he's so sweet."

Tris grinned even wider. "Yeah. I guess he's pretty great."

"All right, I've got to get to work. Have fun today with lover boy," she said, then winked playfully at her.

Tris rolled her eyes and then pondered over to Tobias's desk.

"You really think all these things?" she asked softly.

He nodded. "I really do."

She smiled again. "You're sweet."

"Like candy." He winked.

She didn't know what to say, so she just began to turn around and walk away.

"Tris," he said, sounding nervous.

She turned around stood beside his desk. "Hm?"

"Let me take you on a date."

She slightly smiled and blushed a little. "Okay."

"Really?" he asked. His face lit up and he grinned like a child in a toy store.

She chuckled. "Yeah. Really. Were you thinking tonight?"

"Well, honestly, I didn't think I would get this far," he said as he continued grinning. "But yeah, tonight works. You like sushi?"

"Love it."

"Good. I know a great place. Can I pick you up at 6:30?"

She nodded and smiled. "Sounds good. How should I dress?"

"Semi-classy should work."

"All right. It's a date," she said, then began to walk away. She never quite lost the smile on her face.

"It's a date," she heard him say quietly.

* * *

Tris went home later that day and immediately began to scope out an outfit. It was only 5:15, so she still had an hour and fifteen minutes. She felt like that was no time at all though.

She threw on a black crop top with three-quarter sleeves. The back had lace on it, but still wasn't very revealing. She stepped into a dark red high-waisted skirt. There was less than a centimeter of skin showing between her skirt and her crop top, so figured it was fine. She didn't want to be too formal, so she put on plain black combat boots.

Finally her outfit was complete. Now for accessories.

She put on dark red lipstick to match her skirt and mascara. She was never big on makeup, so she was satisfied. She ended up having an extra half hour, so she decided to paint her nails rather than do anything special with her hair. She liked leaving it down, her golden locks cascading over her shoulders. The moonlight typically glistened off her hair and made it look smooth a silk.

By the time it was 6:20, her dark red nail polish was dry.

Since she had a little extra time, she did decide to do something with her hair. Nothing to crazy though. Just a low side ponytail.

There was a knock on the door at 6:28, and she walked over to answer it.

"Hi," she said.

Tobias's eyes went big when he saw her.

"Hi," he said. "You look… wow. Amazing. Honestly. I mean, you look beautiful."

She blushed and looked down. "Thank you. You look quite dapper yourself," she chuckled, grabbing the tie of his suit. She pulled him closer by the tie. "Yes, quite dapper," she whispered, straightening his collar. She leaned upwards and kissed him. After a few seconds, she pulled back.

"Wow," he said. "Kissing on the first date?" Tobias teased.

She giggled. "C'mon, let's go."

Tris dragged him out the door and out the apartment building.

"So what's this place called?" Tris asked him as they walked down the street.

"Toa."

"They have good sushi?"

"Well," he said, "I wouldn't exactly know… A friend of mine recommended it. I mean, I've been wanting to go there for quite a while now, but not alone. I figured it'd be somewhere to go with someone special."

Tris smiled. "Does that mean I'm special?" she teased.

He grinned at her. "Yeah. Just a little."

It was silent as they walked there.

Their hands brushed every once in a while, so Tris wasn't surprised when Tobias grabbed her hand and interlocked them.

She just smiled up at him when he did so.

"I hope you don't mind that we walk. It's just three blocks from your apartment."

"Oh, no, I don't mind at all. It's okay, really."

"I figured you wouldn't mind."

They arrived in just one minute after that.

"Wow," she said. "Looks nice."

They sat down after Tobias told them they had a reservation.

It was one of those places where there were low seats and a coffee table in front of oneself.

"Oh no," she chuckled, "I feel underdressed."

"Don't. You look beautiful, as always," he said as they sat down.

She smiled at him. "Thank you. I don't think I'll ever quite get used to those compliments of yours," Tris chuckled.

"It's funny making you blush. It also looks pretty damn cute, if I may say so."

"You think everything I do is cute." She smiled.

"That's not true."

She raised her eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

"You look hot when we make-out. There's a difference," he said with a wink.

She laughed and lightly slapped his arm.

"Hello, my name is Tara and I'll be your waitress tonight. What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll just have a water," said Tris.

"Me too," Tobias added with a kind smile.

"All right, I'll be right back to take your order," she said nicely.

"Thanks," Tobias said.

"So," Tris said, "why don't you go out with some other girl who's not going to hurt you?"

Tobias sighed. "This is supposed to a be happy day. Waking up next to each other, our first real date… Happy. This is supposed to be happy."

"Tobias," she said, "I know. But… It's a valid question."

He sighed. "Okay. I don't want any other girl because she's not _you._ "

"I know that, but… I'm going to hurt you. I mean, have you met me? All I do is destroy. To love is to destroy, and to _be_ loved is to _be_ destroyed."

"As much of a good quote that is, it's false. Love gives you empowerment. It makes you stronger. It— It makes you feel like you can do anything you want in the world."

She sighed. "There are two kinds of people in the world: People who think love makes you stronger, and people who think it makes you weaker. Can you guess what I am?"

"Opposites attract," he reasoned.

"I guess so," she said.

"And besides, do you really want to be forever alone?" he chuckled. "It'd be saddening."

"Well, not forever, I guess."

"Then why not start now?"

She didn't say anything for a minute.

When she was about to, the waitress came over with their waters.

"Ready to order?"

"I actually haven't gotten the chance to look yet," Tris said. "Too distracted talking, I suppose," she said, smiling.

"All right, well I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thanks," Tris said.

"Good question," Tris told Tobias. "I'm afraid I don't know the answer. Possibly fear?"

He nodded as he looked at the menu. "Makes sense. Fear of getting hurt. Fear of being deserted. Fear of no control."

"Yeah," she said, "I guess those sum it up."

"I'm getting Pad Thai with shrimp. You?"

"Alaskan roll, probably."

"Nice. You know how to use chopsticks?" he said.

"No, I try to keep my chopstick usage is down to a minimum," she chuckled.

"I'm going to teach you," he said.

Just then, the waitress walked over. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Tobias said. "I'll have to Pad Thai, and the lady here will have the Alaskan Roll," he said.

"Alright," she said, "I'll have those put in."

"Thank you," Tobias said.

"Lady?" Tris said. "I'm hardly a _lady_."

Tobias laughed. "So you mean to tell me you're a man?"

Tris smiled. "No. I'm just not very ladylike. I'm a tomboy," she said with a shrug.

"I agree with that statement. Although you look quite amazing tonight, I like your tomboy qualities. I like that you aren't preppy or wear too much makeup. Like, tonight, for example. Just lipstick and some eye stuff, right?"

She chuckled. "Yeah. Mascara."

"Ah. Well I think you look beautiful without makeup, anyway. That lipstick sure does make me want kiss you though."

She smiled. "I'm sure that you'll be wearing my lipstick later," she said, smirking. "Have no fear."

He smirked as well. "All right, let me show you how to use these chopsticks."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

"Tobias," she said, "you really don't have to walk me home. Your apartment is the opposite direction."

"Nonsense," he said to her. "I'm your date, I'm obligated to walk you home," teased Tobias with a smile.

Tris playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry you feel _obligated_."

"I'd walk you home even if I wasn't your date, because I generally like being in your presence."

She smiled. "I guess I kind of like being in your company too."

They reached the door to her apartment and stood in front of it.

"Did you enjoy tonight as much as I did?" he asked.

"Judging by that grin on your face, yeah, I'd say so." She said with a small smile.

"I'm glad. What would you say to a movie this Friday night?" he asked with small smile.

"Well I think I'd have to say yes to that offer."

Tobias smiled. "I'll let you know the details Friday. That okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, whatever works."

"All right," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow." He planted a kiss on her cheek and turned to walk away.

"Hey, Mister," she said. "Where do you think you're going?"

He smirked. "Home."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked playfully.

"Oh yeah," he said. "Where's my money for dinner? Pay up." He smirked.

"If you didn't want a goodnight kiss you could've just said so," she teased, knowing it'd get him kiss her. She unlocked the door, but never got the chance to open it because Tobias pinned her against the door.

It was already 10:15, and she had old neighbors, so luckily no one was in the hallway.

She felt his hands snake around her lower back, but not quite butt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes. Her shortness was something she liked, just so she could do this.

She pulled away from him, smiling, and began to wipe the lipstick off his lips.

"Goodnight," she told him, then kissed him on the cheek, leaving no remnants lipstick.

Tris stepped inside her apartment, but threw him a wink before shutting the door.

She slunk against the door, sitting down, and chuckled to herself. In the past, she never quite saw herself actually going out with Tobias. Well, technically, they weren't "going out." They were… friends that kiss and go on dates? They weren't officially anything, so she didn't want to put labels on it.

Smiling like a freak, she got up and changed into her pajamas, then hit the hay.

While in the midst of trying to fall asleep, her thoughts travelled to her mother, and she realized it was her birthday. She reached beside her bed and searched for her phone in the dark. She pressed the "call" button in her mother's contact.

"Hello?" her mother answered.

"Hi, Mom. Happy Birthday."

"Aw, thank you sweetie. How ya been?"

"I've been pretty good actually. I'm sorry I never called you last week. You know I try to call once a week, but things have just been a little crazy with work and… people. And I'm sorry I'm calling so late. I worked today, then I was busy after too. I feel bad."

"Oh, honey, it's okay. I understand. You're an adult you've got a life," she chuckled. "So what were you up to tonight?"

"Ah," she said, "yeah… I was just, you know, out."

"You were out on a date, weren't you?" Natalie asked, sounding surprised.

"Mom!"

"Sorry, sorry, but were you?"

"Possibly," Tris mumbled. "But it's your birthday. This conversation is supposed to be about _you_. Not my love life," she laughed.

"Well, you know, selfless me I guess. Now, tell me about him. Where'd he take you? Are you two together? When will I meet him?"

She sighed. "He took me to a place called Toa. Amazing sushi. We aren't anything official, I guess. And I don't know when or if you'll meet him."

"Well why on Earth not?"

She shrugged, even though she knew her mother couldn't see her. "I don't know. I'm not sure if he's ready for something like that."

"Well, time shall tell. Now tell me, what's he _really_ like? Speak from your heart, Bea."

Tris smiled just at the thought of Tobias. "His name is Tobias. I work with him at the station since he's a cop. He's one of the most amazing guys I've ever met. He's just… He treats me like I'm a princess. A _princess_. Honestly, he's perfect. If you _were_ to meet him, I really think you'd like him. I mean, he's absolutely hilarious, courageous, outgoing, charismatic, and _very_ charming. And he's so tall… You know me. Lovin' the tall guys," she chuckled. "And he leaves me these roses on my desk every morning. He leaves me the cards about how I'm beautiful and stuff… And—And the first time he did it, he left fifty roses saying how they didn't compare to my beauty," she chuckled. "And then the second time he left _a hundred._ Then the next time he only left one saying how I was going to make him go broke," she laughed.

"You seem to be quite smitten, and he the same," her mother observed.

She smirked. "I don't know."

"Well I do, and this guy seems to really care about you. I really would love to meet him."

"Um," Tris said, "I guess I'll see what I can do. I'll let you know."

"Oh, and speaking of awesome guys, how's Uriah?"

"Ah, he's good. _Finally_ asked out Marlene. You know how he is. Could never grow the balls," she chuckled.

"That's true," she laughed. "Well, I'll let you get some sleep. Keep me posted with this Tobias guy, alright?"

"I will. Love you, Mom. Goodnight."

"Night, sweetheart."

Tris hung up, then set her phone on her nightstand.

She always had had a close relationship with her mother, especially after her father died. Her mother never minded that she didn't call more than once a week, or that Tris sometimes forgot to call. Her mother always understood that her life was busy and that she was a grown adult. That she wasn't a child any longer.

With thoughts of her mother in her head, she fell asleep a happy girl, satisfied with her day.

* * *

The next Friday Tris had woken up to a screeching sound, which happened to be her alarm clock. She got up, got dressed, and headed to work. She couldn't seem to shake the fact that she and Tobias were… she didn't know. Dating, she supposed? They hadn't really discussed it, but she kind of wanted to stay in the limbo type thing. They weren't _dating,_ but they went on dates. Nothing official, so technically they weren't breaking any rules, right? Well, anything other than friendships were restricted, and they definitely weren't friends. This limbo they were in was something undefinable. Tris was pretty sure Tobias wanted to be something more… _solid._ Official. Concrete. If he asked her if she wanted to be together, she didn't know what she would say.

She simply didn't know.

Maybe Tobias didn't even know what he wanted. Maybe Tris was wrong. Maybe he was totally confused, just like her. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Life was filled with too many "maybes." Tris was sick of that word. "Maybe" this, "maybe" that. Sick and tired, she was. Nobody quite understood. Nobody quite understood Tris the way Tobias did. Tris felt like Tobias had been her best friend their whole lives, even though they'd only known each other for about a month. She never, before then, was brave enough to acknowledge her feelings for Tobias. She was always afraid of what her mind would conjure up.

She couldn't tell what would pop up in that head of her's any longer.

Tris finally arrived at work. She was immediately needed in Max's office for an assignment. She hadn't even reached her desk to see if Tobias had laid anything there this morning.

"Ivan Yorgen. German. Leader of a drug ring. Find him. _Today._ " He handed her the case file.

"Sir, I don't know that I can do that all in one day."

"Yes, you can. If you don't do this, I'll find someone else. Except you won't be in the position you are now."

"So you're saying if I don't solve this today, I'm _fired?_ " she asked incredulously.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

She dryly chuckled. "Okay then."

Tris walked out in an even pissier mood than she was when she arrived. And apparently Max was in a pissy mood too.

When she arrived at her desk, she threw the folder onto her desk. There was a card and rose, like always.

She read the card: _"I'm running out of things to show off… Looking beautiful today, as always, though."_

Tris walked over to his desk and said, "Really? Running out?"

"Not feeling it?"

She rolled her eyes.

He stood up and walked over to where Tris stood. "Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning, Prior?" he teased in a whisper as he wore a shit-eating smirk.

She chuckled a little though. "I'm sorry, it's just that Max is going to fire me if I don't solve this case he gave me _today_ and I don't think I can do it and our date is tonight and I don't know if I'll be able to make it and—"

"Hey, hey, babe, calm down," he said quietly. "You can do it. And if you can't make our date tonight, it's fine. I understand. But I know you can do it. Just focus on it. I believe in you."

She smiled. "Babe?"

He shrugged and looked away. "Slipped."

Tris grinned even wider. "I could kiss you right now."

"Better not," he warned.

She sighed. "I know. But thanks for the pep talk. I'll let you know the deal for tonight."

"All right. Get to work," he said, then winked at her.

Tris smiled, then strutted back over to her desk.

* * *

Later that night, Tris _did_ end up figuring out where he was.

She had to cancel on Tobias, but she knew he understood.

She booked him and had him in a cell by eleven o'clock, and she was absolutely exhausted. She simply wanted to go home and collapse on her bed.

Hardly being able to walk, she carried herself to bed. It was a good thing she could sleep in the next day.

But of course, something—more so, someone—held her back.

"Four," Tris said.

He smiled at her. "Been a while, Detective."

She chuckled and climbed to the top of the fire escape and sat.

"So you're still doing this Four thing, huh?" she asked on a more serious note.

"Uh, yeah, about that…," he said, scratching behind his ear.

She figured it was out of nervousness.

"Tobias—"

"No, Tris, just let me talk before you say anything."

She sighed. "Go ahead."

"I'm not going to do this Four thing anymore. I'm not doing it because I realized it could get me into some serious trouble. And I can't do it forever, either, so I may as well stop now. Tonight was just a finale. I realized that if someone else catches me… then I'll go to prison for god knows how long. Which means I can't be with you. And I would really, really hate that. I mean… I don't think I can live without you, Tris. I really don't think you understand how much I need you. I would've fallen apart by now if it wasn't for you these past two months. I mean… Suddenly you came into my life and I just… _I lost it_. I lost it, Tris. You… you have no idea the affect you have on me."

"Tobias," she says, "you know this isn't going to work."

"Why's that?" he asks.

"Because eventually you're going to fall in love with me. And if you tell me you love me, I'm going to say it back. And that means that I lose."

"Then I guess you lose."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

 _"Because eventually you're going to fall in love with me. And if you tell me you love me, I'm going to say it back. And that means that I lose."_

 _"Then I guess you lose."_

"Tobias," Tris said, "no. No. You aren't allowed to do that. You… no. No!" She hopped down from the fire escape and rushed in the opposite direction.

"Tris!" he yelled.

She heard his feet hit the ground and come after her,

"Prior, c'mon, just wait."

She felt his arm touch his arm to stop her, but she tried to keep going.

He grabbed her hand, entwined them, and stood in front of her.

"Tris," he breathed.

"No, Tobias, I can't do this. I have tried, and tried, and tried, and _tried_ to make you hate me, and you still won't. I myself have tried to hate you. But you— you aren't allowed to love me. You're not allowed."

"Well recently you haven't been doin' very good. You seem to be giving in a lot more."

"Exactly. You won't stop. And by saying you love me… It won't end well. I'm sorry, you can't say that."

"Tris, what is so bad about love? You may end up getting hurt, but you need to take damn chance! Do what you feel is right in the moment."

She ran her hand through her hair and sighed. "Tobias… I don't… I don't know what to do."

"If you just give me a small chance, I will prove to you that I will be one of the best decisions you'll ever make."

"I… I don't know that I can make any decisions right now."

"Tris, please. Just give me a chance. Let me be with you. Let me call you beautiful every single day. Let me be your dream guy. Let me… Just let me love you, Tris."

"Tobias, don't say it."

"I love—"

 _"Tobias."_

"I love you, Tris."

She had tears in her eyes and simply didn't know what to do. She knew that she loved him though. She knew that much. Admitting it was another story. Admitting something like that was life changing. It was… too much of a commitment.

"Tobias. I don't… I can't deal with you right now."

"Tris. Please don't freak out over this. I know you feel the same way. Stop being so afraid. You can't run away from these words forever."

She stepped closer. After work and then this, she was exhausted. She was drained of energy.

"I'm tired. I need to go home." She stood on her tiptoes and softly kissed him while her hand laid on his cheek.

She slightly pulled back. "I think I love you too. But no guarantees," she whispered.

He kissed her again. "I think I can live with that."

"Bye, Tobias." Tris tiredly smiled at him and started walking home.

She was so tired she couldn't even think. She plopped right on her bed and didn't move for the next ten hours.

When she woke, she stretched and yawned.

She walked into the kitchen in her pajamas, which consisted of a giant dark red t-shirt and underwear.

And she about screamed when she saw what was in her kitchen. More so, _who_ was standing in her kitchen.

"Tobias? What on Earth are you doing in my kitchen?"

"You really should lock your door. It's very unsafe."

"I'll start locking it now, jeez. But why are you in my kitchen?"

"Because we are going to have a fun-filled day today."

"Why?" she groaned.

"Well since you are my girlfriend, I figured that I should be able to take you places. Like, you know, do cute romantic stuff with you," he chuckled.

"I'm your girlfriend?"

"Yes. I've decided that you are indeed my girlfriend," he told her with a nod.

She laughed. "And what if I disagree with this girlfriend thing?"

"You won't." He shrugged.

"You're right."

He smirked. "Alright, now go get your cute butt dressed. We've gotta get going."

She smiled at him and went into her bedroom.

"How should I dress?" she yelled.

"Warm," he replied.

She grabbed a sweatshirt and jeans along with Vans. Simple but cute. She crossed the hallway to her bathroom. She put on minimal makeup and left her hair down. Then she did her normal routine, except she felt like wearing her glasses that day.

"All right, I'm ready," she said.

"And we're out of here," he said, opening the door.

They were walking down the hallway when Tris asked, "What if someone from work sees us?"

"We'll be fine. One of us could hide or something. Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay, I won't. What's on the agenda today?"

He shrugged. "I've got a few things in mind."

"Like what?"

"You'll see."

They exited her apartment complex and stepped into the freezing December winds.

And then she felt her phone buzz. "Dammit," she said. "Can't I get one free day?"

She answered. "This is Prior."

"Get down to the station. _Now._ And I'm not asking," Chief Max ordered, then hung up.

Tris ended the call, confused. "Tobias, I have to go to work. Max sounded really serious. I'm sorry. Rain check?"

He nodded with a sad smile. "I get it."

"Thanks. I don't know how long I'll be, so I'll give you a call, okay?"

He nodded, still disappointed.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Don't be disappointed," she told him when she pulled back. "Tomorrow is Sunday. I should be all yours tomorrow."

He smiled. "Okay, okay. Lock your door tonight," Tobias told her.

She started walking away, smile on her face. She would rip Max's head off for whatever they needed her for.

She entered the station, and it was madness.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Nobody answered.

"Somebody tell me what the hell is going on!" she yelled so loud, everyone stopped what they were doing.

"Detective!" someone yelled. "Come with me!"

It was Max.

"Chief, could you maybe tell me what _hell_ is going on here?"

"Conference room. Now."

Tris entered the room to see Uriah in there, alone.

"What is happening?"

"Tris, take a look at this. Careful."

Tris handled the paper in her hands cautiously. It looked like a ransom note with the cut out magazine letters. And she knew exactly who it was.

The killer. The red killer. Every time he killed, he put a smiley face on the cheek of the victim with their own blood.

He always picked one special detective every few years when there was a new one. It was Tris this time. They could never find the red killer though.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

The note read: _"Fire escape. You think it's a safe place to meet… It's not. I know your secret."_

Tris looked up. "We have to go there. There should be a timer there. I've done a lifetime of research on this guy. The timer should represent how much time we have left to save the next victim. All the clues most likely relate to me directly. The killer couldn't have picked a better person to deal with this."

"Tris, are you sure you can do this? People that fail—"

"I don't fail," she said adamantly. "Let's go."

They arrived at the alley with the fire escape in record time. Everything was rushed. She couldn't even think. All she could do was… move. Everything was so discombobulated and out of order and just… Tris couldn't think whatsoever. She just took action.

The timer rested up there. She climbed up and grabbed it. 24 minutes left. 24 minutes to save a life. She found a piece of paper lying next to it.

 _"You think you're so clever. Abraham Lincoln."_

"Abraham Lincoln?" she mumbled, then hopped down from the escape.

She showed it to her colleagues.

She paced back and forth, mumbling to herself. "Lincoln. Lincoln logs. Cabin. Is she in a cabin? No. Lincoln. Linkin Park? Impossible. Lincoln. Ford's Theater. John Wilkes Booth. Booth!" she yelled. "Get in the car!"

They arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings. She ran to the booth where she and her friends sat every time. And there laid the timer and a piece of paper.

55 minutes.

 _"Not bad. Not bad timing at all. I have the one you love most. Well, the second maybe. I know who your first is though. Meet at the place where you found your first true love."_

 _Tobias,_ she thought. She knew her mom was the one he'd taken though.

"Dammit," she mumbled. "Why on Earth would this guy go into a police station?" she yelled. "Everybody, in the car!"

Tris turned on the sirens to the cop car and drove as fast as she possibly could. No thinking. If she thought about the possibilities, she would go into overload and freak out and possibly bawl her eyes out. She wouldn't let herself think. Not today.

When they reached the station, there was a circle around something. _Someone_. Tris barged her way through, only to see her mother. She had duct tape on her mouth and a necklace with a timer around her neck.

The thing she couldn't take her eyes off of was the blood red smiley face on her cheek.

"Mom," she whispered.

Tris went to take the take off her mouth, but on the tape it read, _"Touch the tape, both of you die."_

Tris closed her eyes. The words were written in Sharpie marker, which means it's the killer's handwriting.

Tris slowly leaned in and whispered to her mother's ear, "Trust me. Blink once if you do."

There was a singular blink.

She steadily ripped the duct tape of her mother's mouth. "It's okay, Mom. It's okay."

Natalie collapsed into Tris's arms.

"Mom, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No. He didn't. I'm fine. I just want you to catch the sick son of a bitch."

"I will. I promise. Did he give you a note or anything?"

She nodded and dug for it in her pocket. "Here's the timer, too." She took off from around her head and handed it to her daughter.

Tris observed the time left. 39 minutes.

 _"Lady running down to the riptide, taken away to the dark side."_

 _Riptide,_ Tris thought. _The song? Vance Joy? No… The beach? Possibly. A body at the beach?_

"Mom," she said, "will you please wait in the interrogation room until I get back? I have to finish this game."

"Of course. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

"Tris," her mom said.

"Yeah?" Tris answered.

"How'd you know he wouldn't shoot?" asked Natalie.

"I didn't."

* * *

Tris ended up at the beach. Uriah and Max waited in the car with binoculars. She knew she had to do this alone, and she knew that they would be safer in the car.

She saw two bodies lying side by side. Tris ran to them, sand flying up behind her. Luckily there was no one on the beach since it was December because they would've witnessed two dead bodies.

One man, one woman.

She heard a timer beeping. She took a closer look and saw flashing numbers that looked like this: _0:00_.

She was out of time, and they were dead because of her.

Tris found a note lying beside the man.

 _Dearest Tris,_

 _Please forgive me for the sins I have committed. I have killed many, and one of those many was myself. I loved killing, but I couldn't do it forever. So I did what any good person would: I killed one last person, and then myself. I did the world a favor, even though I loved what I did. It gave me satisfaction. You could say that I'm sick on the inside, but I bet you didn't know I liked it that way._

 _Truly Yours,_

 _The Red Killer and your biggest fan_

Tris teared up as she read the note. She wasn't sad he was dead, but sad because of this poor girl. She was too late to save her. If she'd been quicker… If she hadn't wasted so much time… So many "If"s.

"Tris, we've lost sight. Radio back," her radio sounded.

"I'm here," she whispered hoarsely. "Come in the direction I went."

She started walking towards the car and met them in the middle.

"Tris, what happened?" Uriah asked.

She walked past him and toward the car.

They didn't follow.

"Calling for coroner at Montrose beach along with backup," she reported into her radio to the station.

"You got it," someone reported back.

Tris started the engine, and drove the car away. She couldn't stay there any longer. She knew they needed her at the station for processing and stuff, but she didn't care. She just needed to get away.

She didn't know where she was going until she arrived. Tobias's house. She'd been there once before. She opened the door of the car, got out, and walked to Tobias's front step. Then hesitantly knocked on the door.

She never cried, but she had tears in her eyes when he answered.

"Tris," he said in a happy mood. That was, until her saw her face. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he asked, enveloping her in his strong arms. She simply sobbed into his shoulder without saying anything. It made her feel safe, loved, and protected.

So there they stood, on the porch of his house, hugging, in the midst of her tears dropping.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

"Come inside, Tris," Tobias told her. "Let me make you some tea or hot chocolate or something."

Tris stepped inside and hid her face behind the sleeves of her sweatshirt. "I'm horrible. I'm a horrible human being," she said with a sniffle.

"No, you aren't, Tris," he said. "Whatever happened can't be so bad as to go that far."

"It's my fault a girl is dead. It's all my fault."

He didn't say anything. "What happened?"

"I got called in today. You know that red killer guy?" Tris asked.

He nodded.

She jumped up on the counter and swung her legs. "He played mind games with me. He sent me all around town with these clues and these riddles and— and… I figured out that it was at the beach. The next clue. And a girl and guy were lying next to each other. Dead. And there laid the timer. Beeping with the number zero. The girl… she was innocent. Then the guy. It was him. The red killer. Left a note saying he had to end it some time. Couldn't do it forever," she said solemnly. "It's my fault I didn't get there in time to save that innocent girl," she whispered.

"It is _not_ your fault, Tris. None of this is. That guy was a psychopath. He killed for pleasure and he was insane. You are the best detective in the Chicago PD. Hell, in the state. You figured it out, but you were too late. And that's okay. We're human. We make mistakes. Everyone. Makes. Mistakes. That's something you have to understand, Prior. Okay?"

She nodded and said nothing else. There was nothing else to say, so she stayed silent.

"You want something to drink? Hot chocolate, tea, anything."

She simply shrugged.

"Tris, don't be like that. It's in the past. You can either run from the past, or learn from it. I'd recommend learning from it. You can't run."

"Don't you think I know that, Tobias?" she said, annoyed.

"Tris, I'm just trying to help. You know I'm not trying to throw anything in your face."

She sighed, vexed. "Tobias, I don't think you understand what this is like. To have the weight on your shoulders of having to tell this poor girl's family that she's… _gone,_ " she croaked. Tris grew tears in her eyes, and then felt one roll down her cheek.

"Tris—"

"No," she cut him off. "Please, just…I'm gonna go." She hopped down from the counter and started toward the door.

"Prior, please just listen to me. Please. I didn't mean—"

"Tobias, I came here looking for comfort, and you obviously can't provide that. So I'll just be on my way." Her hand was on the door handle, about to open it.

"Beatrice Prior," he said as he put a hand on her shoulder. He turned her around and hugged her.

"Tobias, get the hell off of me," Tris said, trying to shove him off.

He didn't move a single muscle in his body.

"Eaton, I swear to god—"

"I'm not letting you go. You said you want comfort, I'm giving it."

"Tobias," she groaned. "Get off _right now_."

"Nah."

Tris finally grew the strength to push him back, but he just crossed his arms as he towered above her.

She could escape, but she didn't want to. She was confused and frustrated with herself.

He stepped closer. "You could've been gone by now."

She shrugged. "I guess so. Can't leave without a goodbye kiss, even when I'm annoyed with you."

"It's cause you love me," he teased, smirking. Another step closer.

She shrugged again, indifferent. She never straight-up told him she loved him. She said she _thought_ she might love him.

One step closer. They were pressed against each other.

Tris laid her hands on his jawline and neck and pulled him down to her lips. He pressed her against the wall like he so often does. She never complained though. It made her feel safe and loved. His hands remained on her waist until she pushed him back.

"I really do have to go though. My mom is at the station. Red killer sent her into the station with the timer. I'll let you know what's going on later," she said with a smile.

He kissed her a quick goodbye and she left through the door.

She didn't know if she was ready to head to the police station and face everyone, but she went. She didn't think about it. If she did, it'd practically ruin her.

Natalie Prior sat in the chair of Tris's desk with her feet propped up on the desk.

"Mom," she said. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner." She hugged her mother. "I just… I needed to clear my head a little. Had to get away. You understand, right?"

She nodded. "Uriah told me what happened when he got back from the beach. Did you go to his house?"

Tris's head snapped to her mother's direction. "What?"

"Were you at his house? That Tobias guy's?"

She blushed. "Maybe. I needed to clear my head."

Natalie smiled. "I found those notes in your desk drawer. He's really quite sweet, like you said."

Tris laughed. "You went through my desk?"

She shrugged. "I was bored."

"Mom," Tris said, chuckling, and rolling her eyes. "Let me give you a ride home."

"All right, all right," her mother told her.

As they walked out, Tris asked, "Mom?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Did he… did he hurt you? Like, at all?" she asked quietly.

"Honey, no. All he did was hold a gun to my head and put me in the car. It's okay. Really."

Tris plopped down in the driver's seat of the cop car. She had tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Mom. It's my fault," she croaked in a whisper.

"Hey, you listen here, Tris," he mother said to her adamantly. "This was not your fault. This guy was an insane psychopath. I'm okay now, aren't I?"

Tris nodded and started the car. She drove to her mother's house, speedy style with the flashing lights, and opened the door to get out when they arrived.

"Go back to his house, Tris," her mother told her before either of them got out. "You need him more than you need me."

"Mom—," Tris began.

"No, Tris. You're a mess without him. I can tell. Now go."

She smiled. "I love you, Ma."

"I love you too, honey."

Tris pulled out of the driveway of her mother's house and towards the department. She pulled out her phone and quickly called Tobias.

"Hello, beautiful," he answered.

That always made her smile every time. "Hey, hon, can you pick me up from the station? I just dropped my mom off at her house."

"Of course. Feeling in the motorcycle mood?" he asked. She could tell he was smiling on the other side of the phone call.

"I'm always in the motorcycle mood. And besides, I get to keep my arms wrapped around yo,u, so that's a bonus." She smiled.

He chuckled at her. "Well there'll be plenty of time for that tonight. I'll see you in a few."

"All right. I love you."

Silence. And then she realized that was the first time she'd said it. She'd said before she thought she might love him, but that was different.

"I love you too, Tris," he said back quietly.

She hung up the phone with a smile plastered on her face. She really did love him. Fighting or not fighting, it didn't matter. She loved him. Maybe in the future they would have fights and one would get upset with the other, but she knew—she _knew—_ they'd always run back to each other. No matter what. As much as she might deny it at times, she loved him. Nothing would keep her from doing so, either.

She parked the car in the row of department transportation vehicles and got out.

And there awaited her knight in shining armor. Well, in a leather jacket and jeans. And he wasn't really her knight. More so a savior. He saved her legs from walking two miles to his house.

He smiled at her as she approached. "Hop on."

She did. Tris wrapped her arms around his waist as he revved his engine.

Tris whispered in his ear, "Fuckboy tendencies, you do have."

She felt his laugh against her, and then they drove off. It may've only been five o'clock, but she was exhausted. She could've slept for days on end. On Tobias's motorcycle, though, she always felt awake and alive. The way it made her feel inside was indescribable. There was always a certain way about it.

They arrived in a short amount of time, luckily and unfortunately, according to Tris.

"Thank you for picking me up. I'm completely dead," she said.

He chuckled. "You look pretty alive to me."

She smirked. "You know what I meant."

They arrived inside his house and she collapsed on his couch. She laid on her back with her legs stretched out and arms behind her head.

"Are you hungry?" Tobias asked. He lifted her legs and sat under them.

She nodded. "I don't want to go anywhere, though."

"That, my dear Tris, is what Pizza Hut is for," he said, grabbing his phone.

She laughed at him. "You just want to split a cheese pizza?"

He nodded. "You can pick a movie while I call, if you want."

Without a word, she rolled off the couch and crawled over to his movie shelf.

In the midst of her decision making, she heard Tobias ordering their simple cheese pizza.

She eventually decided on a movie she was surprised he had, _Monsters, Inc._ She always had been a sucker for Disney movies, and so had Tobias, apparently. She figured out where the DVD player was and put it in. Then she laid back down on the couch while Tobias stood.

Tobias finished making the call when he said, "Should be here in twenty."

"All right. Thank you."

 _"Monsters, Inc._?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I love Disney," she told him. "Always have, always will."

"This was one of my favorites throughout my teenage years. Don't know why, but for some reason it was. My friends always gave me shit for it," he laughed.

"Aw, that's cute," she snickered.

"Shut up," he said, smile on his face.

"Come snuggle with me?" she asked, lying on the couch as he stood.

He rolled his eyes. "You make me do the most ridiculous things, I swear." He laid down behind her, though, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She faced him so they were pressed torso-to-torso on the couch. "You like cuddling. I can tell. All big and tough, but you secretly like having someone to hold on to."

He shrugged. "Maybe."

Tris smiled and kissed him softly. Her hands rested on his jawline as she pulled back.

"God, I love your glasses," she told him. "And the fact that you wear them every day, too. Honestly, damn. _Damn_."

"Same goes to you," he chuckled. "Other than the fact you don't wear them every day. I don't get why you're embarrassed by them. You look adorable."

She shrugged. "I've never really been told I look good in them before you."

"Well you do indeed look amazing."

Tris smiled. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry about earlier, by the way. I know I was being a little harsh, and you didn't need that. You just needed me there to hug and console."

"No, no, it's okay. Really. I do need to suck it up. I've accepted that."

"You know it's not your fault, right?" he asked.

"Do you know what it's like to have an internal voice that tells you what the right thing to do is all the time and you do it and it works and you're good at what you do and then one day it just shuts off and in that moment there is no voice and then you just have to listen to yourself and in an instant, and in a millisecond, you make a tiny, but crucial mistake and screw up so badly it affects your whole life?" she breathed all at once.

He sighed. "Tris, this is not your fault."

She closed her eyes. "I know. I know. But… hasn't that ever happened to you?"

He nodded. "Of course. It happens to everybody."

"Okay."

Minutes into the movie, the pizza arrived. They munched on it until their bellies were stuffed.

The cuddled on the couch as they watched the movie, and, Tris fell asleep at about a half hour left in the movie, even though it was only six o'clock. Tobias wasn't surprised though.

Tris felt someone carry her into his bedroom, and she figured it was Tobias. She felt him take off her glasses so they wouldn't get crushed when she slept. She was half awake, but she still pulled Tobias's lips down to hers and kissed him goodnight.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 _Warning! Warning! This is a filler! They deserve to have a fluffy chapter after everything I've made them go through! lol_

* * *

Tris woke up first. She was completely oblivious to the fact that she was in Tobias's bed until she realized his arms were wrapped around her. She slowly flipped around to the other side of her body to face Tobias.

She caught a glance at the clock on the wall. It read ten o'clock.

Tris was surprised, at the least, since she fell asleep at seven and woke at ten the next morning. She slept fifteen hours. She hadn't slept like that in years.

She slowly placed her lips on Tobias's, getting him to wake up. He kissed back shortly after awakening.

"Sleep well?" he said, still not fully awake.

"Very. Fifteen hours."

He kissed her again. "Good. You needed it."

"So I know you had some stuff planned for yesterday. You still want to do those things today?"

He shook his head. "I kind of feel lazy. But if you want to do something, that's fine too."

"Well I had a few ideas…," she said with a smirk.

"And those are…?"

"Well, we could—don't laugh at me," she chuckled, "—build a fort made out of blankets and pillows in your living room and just play video games or something. I've been dying to do that recently. I haven't done it since, like, eighth grade," she laughed.

Tobias just kissed her. "Another reason I love you. Honestly. I mean, what guy doesn't love a girl who wants to build a fort, play video games, and make-out all day? Plus I get to wake up next to you? Damn, I'm lucky," he told her. "I must've done _something_ right in my life to deserve you."

Tris grinned at his words. "I love you."

He smiled. "Let's make us some breakfast."

They both got up, and Tris realized she slept in her jeans.

"Do you have an extra pair of gym shorts, or something?" she asked.

He raised his eyebrows and put on his glasses. "You're asking the guy twice the size of you," he chuckled.

She tiredly smiled. "I know, but these jeans are really uncomfortable."

"So take 'em off," he said, winking.

Her cheeks turned red. "Tobias!"

"I'm serious! Your sweatshirt is humongous, it has to go at least past your butt."

"I don't know… It feels awfully short."

"Would you like one of my sweatshirts? Would that make you feel better?"

She shook her head and laughed. "Fine."

He dug around in his dresser and pulled out a big black sweatshirt. "It's my biggest, softest one. It should do."

She took off her sweatshirt and had on a t-shirt underneath. She pulled the black sweatshirt over her head. The sleeves were about six inches longer than her arms, and the sweatshirt itself was like a dress on her. Then she took off her jeans. She put her glasses on and looked in the mirror.

"Tobias," she laughed, "this is huge."

He shrugged. "You asked for it."

She stepped closer to him, lying her hands on his bare chest, and said, "Try anything and you die."

He smirked. "No guarantees."

She rolled her eyes and and made her way to the kitchen. She managed to put her hair up in a bun, just to get it out of her face.

"So what sounds good?" he asked Tris.

She leaned against the counter. "Anything, really."

"Pancakes?"

She smiled. "You sure you can make something that difficult?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Do you want blueberries or chocolate chips or something?"

She shook her head. "No thank you."

"All right."

As he waited for the griddle to heat up, he made the batter. Tris watched his muscles as they stirred the batter with the whisk. He was shirtless. She couldn't _not_ look.

He must've felt her eyes on him, because he turned around and winked at her.

She simply blushed and looked away.

He finished the batter and walked over to her.

"I can't get over how perfect you are," Tobias told her.

She smiled and looked down. "Are you going to do that all day?" she chuckled.

He grinned at her. "Maybe."

She simply shook her head.

"Don't deny any of it, either. There is the smartest, most amazing, most beautiful girl standing right in front of me, and she's wearing a giant sweatshirt with no pants, sexy legs, hair in an extremely sexy bun, and cute, nerdy glasses. Quite honestly, I don't know how I'm holding myself back."

"Says my shirtless boyfriend," she said with a smirk. They still weren't touching, which made Tris go crazy.

She finally slowly leaned up to kiss him, and he backed away, messing with her.

"Tobias," she groaned. "That was mean."

"I got some pancake makin' to do." He winks at her.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered, "Well first you got some kissin' to do."

He turned around, and then kissed her. He roughly pressed her against the counter, surprising her. She even let out a little squeal that turned into a sigh.

Then she started laughing.

Tobias pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Something funny?"

She just laughed again as she put her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just that you touched my butt"—she laughed again—"and I wasn't expecting it. I was like, woah, Tobias's hands are on my butt," she laughed. "And, you know, you're just always so goofy most of the time so I don't really imagine you, you know," she laughed for the fifth time. "You're just so cute."

He shook his head. "Well, I'm glad you think I'm _cute_ when we make-out."

"Tobias, it's not like that, it's just… I mean, don't get me wrong, you're _hot._ Like, really hot, Tobias. But it was just funny because you usually aren't so forthcoming."

He smirked and poured the batter onto the steaming griddle. "Should I be?"

She shrugged, smirking. "I don't know. Should you?"

Tobias simply shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

She chuckled and crossed her arms. "Keep me forever."

"Forever?" he asked.

"Forever," confirmed Tris.

"Are you sure you can deal with me that long?" she asked him playfully.

"I could definitely deal with you that long. In fact, I'd really quite enjoy it," he said as he smirked at her. He flipped the pancakes over.

"Oh, really?"

"Seeing you in my giant clothing is something I can't pass up. Plus, you know, I kinda like you."

He flipped the pancakes over to see if they were done, and they were, so he put them on a plate.

"Only kinda?" she teased.

"Yeah."

She rolled her eyes as she smiled and walked over to the fridge across the kitchen. The freezer was on top, and the fridge on the bottom. She bent down to get the butter and syrup.

When she retrieved both items, she turned around to see Tobias's neck leaned over to see her back end.

His face reddened and he quickly turned his attention back to the pancakes.

She didn't mind. Tris had checked him out more than a few times.

Tris wrapped her arms around him from the back. "You're cute when you're embarrassed."

He flipped the pancakes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"Tobias," she cut him off, "it's okay. You have every right to."

He shrugged, causing her to unwrap her arms from his waist.

"I feel like I'm being disrespectful. I don't know," he told her.

"You aren't. Seriously. You're my boyfriend. It's completely okay. If you were a random guy, then yeah, I'd probably kick your ass," she chuckled.

"Or I probably would," he laughed. He put the pancakes on the plate. The were eight total.

They walked over to the couch and say on it, and then Tobias turned on the TV.

"Request?" he asked her.

"Horror. Definitely horror," she smirked.

"Have you seen _Insidious: Chapter 3_? It's more so creepy than scary, really."

"Put it on, man. Let's do it. I've seen the first and second, but not the third."

By the time they finish the pancakes, they're a half hour through the movie. They paused it so they can build their blanket and pillow fort. She and Tobias gathered all of the pillows and blankets that were in his house.

In the end, they ended up using seven blankets, eleven pillows, three chairs, two couches, and an entire roll of duct tape.

It wasn't tall enough as to where she could stand, but she could sit on her knees. Not Tobias, though. Tall thing, he was.

They laid on their stomachs and watched the movie, Tris flinching at some scary, creepy parts.

"You know," Tobias said, "as cool as this fort is, it kind of sucks."

She chuckled and looked over at him as she smiled. "It's cool, but it sucks? I'm lost."

"I can't cuddle with you on the floor. We aren't even touching," he complained.

She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Tobias, we don't always have to be cuddling or touching."

"I know that, but it's cute when you get scared in the movie and your face in my chest. I think it's adorable."

"I've only screamed in a horror movie one time. The rest I just flinch. No biggie." She shrugged.

She turned her attention back toward the screen, it was toward the ending. Elise picked up her dead husband's sweater that was lying on her bed. She didn't put it there, either.

The camera turned back toward Elise, and the devil with a red face popped up just behind her, causing Tris to scream. The end credits scrolled through the screen, but she could only tell from the music because her face was hidden in Tobias's neck.

She was breathless. "Is it over?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he laughed. "Never scream, huh?"

Tris hesitantly looked up to see a black screen and heard no music any longer.

"I wasn't expecting that," she said. "I mean, honestly. Who would?"

He smirked. "Yeah. Keep tellin' yourself that, sweetie."

"Besides, I thought you said that was cute. Maybe I just faked that?"

"No," Tobias said. "That was definitely, definitely real."

She sighed. "Dammit. I tried," Tris chuckled.

He simply smiled at her. "I love you."

She smiled back, not being able to withhold it. "I love you too." She leaned forward to kiss him, and he met her in the middle. She laid her hands on his jawline, and his on her waist.

She pulled back and laid on her stomach once again.

"What's next?"

And then he started tickling her.

She immediately started giggling and squirming. She laughed uncontrollably. He was on top of her tickling her stomach, her neck, everywhere. She was extremely ticklish.

Tris went weak, but she managed pin him down, still laughing, and hovering over him.

She couldn't help but keep the smile on her face as she was breathless.

"Let's just take a moment," he told her as she still sat on top of his stomach. "You're sitting me, no pants, and I'm shirtless. Just take a moment," he said with a shit-eating grin on his face.

She shook her head, laughing, and rolled off of him. "Your inner Four is coming out."

"That's good thing right?"

She smirked too. "Usually."

He shook his head. "You're really confusing sometimes, you know that?"

"I try."

He just laughed. "Out of all the cases I've had in my life, you're the only one I haven't solved."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

The next day, Monday, Tris walked into the station getting nothing but stares. She assumed that everyone heard about the case from Saturday and felt pity for her.

Tris ignored it. She didn't need it from them. She didn't need it from anyone.

She walked straight into Max's office.

"Tris, I thought I told you to take today off."

She ignored him too. "Any cases for me?"

"Go home."

"I refuse."

Max sighed. "Are you sure you're mentally ready?"

"Max. I'm fine. I'm tough and you know it."

"Uriah's investigating a case right now. He'll brief you."

"Thank you, Chief."

When she arrived at her desk, there was a rose and a card.

 _"I don't have to prove anything to you, but I just thought you might like a rose. I love you, Tris."_

She simply smiled and put it in her desk drawer.

"Uriah, can I see the case file?"

He handed it to her. "Welcome back, Prior."

* * *

Shortly after reading the case file (20 minutes), and doing some research (25 minutes), she'd cracked the case. It wasn't too hard. It was obviously the son who murdered his father.

"Let's go arrest this guy, Pedrad," Tris told him.

"I hate how you can do that," he said to her.

"What?"

"Figure out who the killer is in less that an hour. That's insane."

She shrugged. "It's what I do."

Tris, Uriah, and two other cops as backup went to the suspect's house. 522 Boyer Lane. Tris knocked on the door of the mansion. It was, let's say, a nicer part of Chicago.

"Hello, how may I help you?" an older woman asked with a Spanish accent. She was the housekeeper.

Tris politely smiled. "Hi, is Mr. Borin around?"

"Ah, no, no. He up in heaven." She pointed upward.

"Yes, but his son? That Mr. Borin?"

"Si, si, un momento, por favor."

Tris could tell enough from high school Spanish that she'd said _"Yes, yes, one moment, please."_

Then a scream.

Tris invited herself in and followed the scream up the stairs. She barged into the door with her gun up.

The housekeeper stood in shock over Mr. Borin's body. Another family death.

Tris sighed and shoved the gun back into her holster.

"Get Marlene to examine the body. But judging by the bullet hole angle in his head," Tris said, "this wasn't suicide."

"But how? There are no signs of—" Uriah began.

"Forced entry on the window. Whoever this was knew that this was his room. Which means the killer is familiar with the place. My theory before was that the son, Kian Borin, killed his father, Jonathan Borin, for inheritance money."

"It's all right, Tris. Everyone makes mis—"

"I didn't make mistakes. This just doesn't add up, Uri."

"You have to accept that you aren't always right," he laughed.

She tiredly smiled at him. "I know, I know, but I had a really strong feeling about this one."

"It's all right. Let's just figure out who—"

"The sister!" Tris shouted. "It all adds up! Murder and partnership gone wrong. Jonathan Borin was a horrible man. That's why his wife left him. His children, Kian and Charlotte Borin, team up to kill him. But Kian decides he wants the money all to himself. He kills his father without Charlotte knowing. Since he's the oldest, all of his things will go to Kian. So Charlotte killed her older brother in order to inherit everything. So technically, no, I didn't make a mistake."

"Where do you think Charlotte is headed?"

"Her safe haven. Her room She entered through the window to make it look like the killer couldn't have easy access to Kian's room, when really all she had to do was walk across the hall."

Tris entered Charlotte's room.

The eighteen-year-old girl had music blasting in her ears as she read a magazine.

She took out her earbuds and said, "Can I help you?"

"You know your brother just got murdered ten feet away from you, right? Well, I guess you would know that since you're the one who murdered him, right?"

"What?" the girl exclaimed. "That's absurd!"

"Cuff her, Uri."

"You'd kill your own family for money?" Tris asked.

"And I'd do it all over again," Charlotte seethed.

Uriah mirandized her as they walked to the cop cars.

Tris walked back into the other cop car she and Uriah drove and hopped into the driver's seat. Uriah got in on the other side when he was done cuffing Charlotte.

"Honestly, I mean how do you do that?" he asked. "I've been working that case since Thursday and I couldn't get any leads on it whatsoever. You just solved that in less than an hour in a half."

"It's all in the job description," she laughed. "I've wanted to do it ever since I was a little girl. My parents would always watch reruns of _Miami Vice_ when I was little. So I guess I have that stupid TV show to thank," she chuckled as she drove back to the station.

"Man, that show was and still is great. I watch it to this day."

Tris laughed. "This is why I love you, Uri."

"Speaking of _love_ , how're you and Tobias?"

She smiled at the thought of him. "We're good. We built a fort yesterday."

He snickered at her. "A fort?"

She nodded.

"You two a dorks. You actually make a great couple because of that."

She pulled into the parking lot of the station. "I guess it does."

They walked into the station as Tris stood behind Charlotte and led her to booking and processing.

"Vick!" Tris said loudly. It was always chaos there. "Book her."

"You got it, Detective," he said to her.

She and Uriah walked straight into Max's office.

"I need another case," Tris said.

"But you've already got the one with Uriah."

"I just caught the murderer. Now please give me another case."

Max sighed. "Tris, you're overworking yourself. You need to—"

"The only thing I _need_ is a case, Chief."

"Prior."

"All I'm saying is that you need to give me another case. I need to keep my mind off of this past weekend. Let me work myself to death. I can get a lot done around here if I put my mind to it."

He sighed. "All right, Prior. But if you collapse I'm sending you home," he chuckled. He reached into his filing cabinet and grabbed three file cases. "This should be enough for today. If you solve those, I've got two more. If you solve those, then you're gettin' cold cases," he laughed.

She smiled and took the cases from his hands. "Coldies are my favorites."

"All right, Prior, get on it then."

"You got it, Chief."

She and Uriah viewed the cases as they walk to their desk.

"Ohhh, I call the one with the illegal snakes!" Uriah shouted.

She laughed with a wide smile and looked at him. "You can't _call_ it, Uriah!"

"Yeah huh!"

He took the case from her hands and ran away from her. She chased him all around station in her heels, which hurt like a fucker, laughing. She wore a baggy dark red top with black pants and dark red heels. She looked impeccable. But for running? Not so great.

Uriah stood still behind Tobias and his desk, and Tris in front of him. Tobias and his desk were a barrier.

"Uriah," she said, "hand it over."

"No way!"

"I'm Head Detective!"

"Don't pull the rank card on me, Prior!"

She rolled her eyes. "Pedrad—"

"Here's an idea," Tobias chipped in, "work together on it. After all, you _are_ partners."

Uriah and Tris glared at each other for a good minute, then both said "Fine" at the same time.

"Problem solved," Tobias said.

Uri glared at her one last time and walked back to their desks.

"So," Tobias said, "you and Uriah having troubles?"

She laughed. "No. He's just a stubborn ass."

"Well that explain it all," he laughed.

"So I'll probably be working late tonight, just so you know. I need to clear my mind after this weekend, you know?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's all right. Text me when you're home? Just to make sure you're home safe," he said.

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I will. I'll talk to you later."

"Oh, and, Tris?"

"Yeah?"

"You look beautiful," he said with a wink.

"Thank you." She smiled. Tris walked back to her desk, then she and Uriah got to work.

* * *

She was on her way home 11:30 because Max forced her. Mainly because she fell asleep at her desk on a cold case file.

Tris was walking through the alley she normally did on the way home and heard footsteps.

"Who's there? I'm a cop and I have gun." She placed a hand on the handle of her gun, ready to rip it out of its holster.

"I'm just walking home from work!" a woman shouted. Tris came closer and stood under a light. The woman joined her. She looked a few years older than her, Tris observed.

"I saw a man," the woman said.

"Did he look suspicious?" Tris asked. "I can escort you home if you'd like."

"Oh, no, no, I think it was that Four guy. I've heard his name on the news, but not for a week or two. He was wearing what the picture looked like on the news."

Tris's eyes widened. "Four? You're sure?"

"99%."

She put her hand on her forehead, annoyed. "All right," she said quietly. "Are you sure you don't need me to walk you home?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I'm all right. Thank you though."

"Have a good night, ma'am," Tris said, then walked away.

Tris couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Tobias lied to her. He flat-out lied. She wasn't mad at him for being Four, she was mad that he lied. He said he'd stop being Four. He said he cared about her too much. Obviously he didn't care enough to tell her the truth.

She changed her direction and began to walk to Tobias's. As much as she didn't want to speak to him, she knew she had to at some point.

So she waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually around 1:30 A.M., she heard a motorcycle rumbling.

She stood up and leaned against the front door.

Tobias parked on the curb and started to walk toward the door. Obviously he hadn't seen her yet.

Only when he was five feet away, he finally saw her.

"Tris, is everything okay? Why are you here?"

She turned on the light above her head so she could see more of him. He changed into his normal clothes, not Four clothes.

"Why did you lie to me, Tobias?" she asked quietly.

"What?" he asked. "Tris, come inside—"

"No. Why did you lie to me?"

"Tris—"

 _"Why did you lie to me?"_ she repeated, tears in her eyes.

He sighed. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you or did you not go out and be Four?"

He sighed. "Tris…"

"Answer me."

"Yes. Yes, I did, Tris."

She paced on the porch and held her hand on her forehead.

"Dammit, Tobias."

He frowned. "I know, I shouldn't have done it. It was stupid."

"No, it wasn't stupid," she said. "It was idiotic. I don't care if you want to be Four, but do _not_ lie to me, Tobias."

"Tris, I'm sorry. I…," he stuttered. "I'm sorry."

She stood in front of him. She still hadn't let a tear drop, just let them gather in her eyes. "You owe me an explanation."

He sighed. "I don't have one this time. I guess I just… I wanted to help people. I never meant to hurt you."

She shakily breathed. "How many?"

"What?" he asked.

"How many times have you gone out since you told me you wouldn't?"

He closed his eyes. "Tonight was the second."

She breathed out. "God, Tobias."

"I know. I don't deserve you. Especially after what I did. But I… I need to help people, Tris. I need t—"

"Your job isn't good enough? It's not enough change in the world?" she snapped.

"Tris, giving tickets to people for speeding and going through red lights isn't exactly making a change."

"Become a detective! You have the skills to!"

He shook his head. "It's not that simple."

"How, Tobias? How?" she seethed. "It's really not that hard."

"I can't leave the station, Tris!"

"Why the hell not?"

He sighed. "We're there."

"Not for long."

"What?" Tobias asked.

"I'm requesting a station transfer tomorrow morning."

"Why?" he asked incredulously. "You can't leave, Tris."

"Oh, I'm not leaving. _You_ are."

"Tris, don't do this."

"This is the last straw, Tobias. I'm done with your lies. You know honesty is something I care about most in a relationship, and you obviously can't handle that. So tomorrow morning, you'll be moving stations," she said shakily.

"Tris…"

"Goodbye, Tobias," she said. She didn't move though. She let one tear roll down her cheek.

Tobias reached up to wipe it away, but she flinched away.

"Goodbye, Tobias," she repeated, then walked away into the night.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

 _Last chapter… Epilogue up soon :)_

* * *

The next morning, Tris walked into work, acting as if everything was okay. As if she hadn't cried herself to sleep the previous night. As if she was the happiest girl in the world. As if she wasn't heartbroken.

"Hey, Uriah," she said to him when he sat across from her. "Good morning."

"Sup, Prior?"

"Nothing much. We've been assigned cold cases since we solved all of the recent ones yesterday," she laughed, "so get ready for some real work. These cold cases are mostly back from the seventies. Surprising because the 60s and 70s were mostly hippies," Tris chuckled.

"True," Uriah laughed. "So, what've we got?"

"Homicide. Hippie was shot and killed at some peace rally in '75. Hundreds of people around, but nobody could identify the shooter. 24-year-old man. His name was Wallace Smith. I've been mainly looking at the witness reports. One said it came up from the _ground_ ," she laughed.

"Probably high on special brownies," he joked.

She smiled. "Probably."

The smile wasn't sincere though. Sure, she was great at hiding things, but on the inside she knew it wasn't real. That whole day she knew she'd be faking it. Everything. Her emotions, thoughts, feelings… None of them would be real.

Earlier that morning when she arrived, she saw flowers lying on her desk. There was a card too. She didn't read the card or bother to count how many roses he'd bought her. It didn't matter. None of it did. That was not only the first time he betrayed her trust, but the second. The first: when he played her by telling her Four was his cousin. The second: well, that's quite obvious.

She was done letting him hurt her.

"Tris?" Uriah asked.

She snapped her head up and looked at him. "Hm?"

"Are you okay? You seem like you're perfectly fine, but I can tell when you're faking."

She shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"Is it a problem with Tobias?" he asked in a low voice.

She sighed and closed her eyes. "Yes. We went on a few dates, but it's not going to work out, all right?"

"Tris," he said adamantly, "you and I both know that what you had was more than 'just a few dates.'"

"Yes, it was. There just wasn't a connection there. That's that."

He shook his head. "All right, fine. Don't tell me."

"Okay, so I'm reading the coronary report of the autopsy and I think there might actually be a possibility that it was shot from the ground," Tris gathered.

"Damn, Tris, are you on crack?" Uriah teased.

"No, Uriah, just look." Tris stood and walked across to Uriah's desk and bent over. She showed him the picture of the victim's head. "Look at the way the bullet is lodged in his head. It couldn't have been higher or even with the victim's head. It had to've been lower."

"Maybe a short person shot him," Uriah suggested. "Like a, uh, little person."

Tris shook her head. "I think someone was in a sewer when Smith was shot. This was no riot shooting. Whoever shot this guy did it on purpose. Not to create a panic at the—"

"Disco!" Uriah shouted.

Tris laughed and rolled her eyes. "Whoever shot this guy didn't shoot Smith to create panic at the rally, but because this guy needed to be dead. My theory is that someone with a good shot and a rifle hid in a sewer and through the holes of the drainage pipe shot Wallace Smith."

"Tris… That's a little, I don't know. Out there."

"Just look at this picture of the crime scene."

She flipped to three pictures of the scene. "Look, there's a a drainage sewer a few feet away from where the victim was shot. Let's just go and check it out. It's on Michigan Avenue."

So there they went.

As she walked out with Uriah, joking about the pot brownies, she laughed. She felt Tobias's eyes on her. She couldn't hold herself back from looking at him. Her smile dimmed when she saw how distraught he was. He had bags under his eyes and his hair was out of place. To anyone else, it would've looked normal. But since she knew him—since she loved him—she could tell he was fraught.

"Uriah," she said, "give me a minute. Wait in the car."

"You got it."

She walked over to his desk and put her palms on it, leaning down.

"Tris—"

"I'm not requesting your station transfer. But if you come anywhere near me after this conversation, I will have you moved to another precinct. Get me, Eaton?"

He closed his eyes, then nodded.

"I love you, Tris."

"I'm not doing this here," she scoffed. "I'm not doing this _period_."

"Just know that I love you. That's all I have to say for myself. My appearances should say the rest."

Tris sighed, then walked away.

She couldn't handle seeing him like that.

* * *

"Uriah, do you know what this means?" Tris asked.

They stood in the sewer system where Tris thought the bullet would come from. They found extra bullets down in the sewer where the killer would've been forty years ago.

She answered for him. "These are bullets from a .223 Caliber. Only the military handles those, Uri. We're dealing with something much bigger than the Chicago PD."

"Tris, we could be arrested just for _thinking_ about this, let alone solving it! What do we do?"

"We tell Max. We have to. We need to see what and who we're dealing with."

They rode back to the station conversing about who this could be. FBI? CIA? They didn't know.

"I think it's the CIA," Uriah said.

Tris shook her head. "FBI."

"Either way, it's gonna be cool."

About three hours later, Max went to them with worried looks.

"My office."

Tris and Uriah looked at each other in confusion, but went to their Chief's office.

They opened the door to see two men with black suits and sunglasses on.

Their eyes widened.

"What did we do?" Tris whispered to Uriah.

"Detective Prior, Detective Pedrad, these are Special Agents Rosen and Ross. They are with the FBI."

Tris looked at Uriah with an _I told you so_ look.

"How can we help you?"

"No," one said. "How can _we_ help _you_ , Detective Prior? We'd like the speak with you in private, without Chief Blue or Detective Pedrad."

She nodded. "All right."

"Take my office," Chief said. "We'll be outside."

Uriah and Max left the office and shut the door.

The blinds were shut on the all the windows seeing into the office, so no one could see in or out.

"We'd like to offer you a job, Detective."

"I'm not quite sure I follow," Tris said. "This has nothing to do with the '75 Wallace Smith case?"

"This has everything to do with the Wallace Smith case," one of the special agents said. "We've kept that case hidden and unsolved for forty years, but you solve it in one hour? We received intel that you were in the sewer of where Smith was shot. You see, Smith was getting close to something that involved the government. _Too_ close. So, you know, the CIA did what they had to do. And, you, Tris, have gotten too close."

Tris's eyes widened. "So, what, you're going to kill me?"

They chuckled. "No, Detective. We're offering you a job in the FBI. Or CIA. Whichever you prefer."

Tris's eyes widened even more. _"What?"_

"Yes, Ms. Prior. Your record of arrests and being your age is very impressive. This would require you to move to DC, but the job is quite incredible. If you join the Federal Bureau of Investigation, then you will most likely be working alongside Agent Ross and myself. If you join the Central Intelligent Agency, then you will most likely be a field operative, traveling to foreign countries and tracking down wanted terrorists and people of that sort."

"Oh my god," Tris said. "If I join the CIA, I can't tell anyone, right? I'll disappear."

"That's correct."

Tris sighed. "If you came to me with the offer three months ago, I would've said yes to either of those positions, but I… I can't. My life is here. In Chicago. At the CPD. I'm sorry."

They nodded.

"Here is my card if you change your mind, Detective," an agent said.

"Of course. Thank you." She accepted the card and put it in her back pocket.

"Have a good day, Detective."

"You too, gentlemen."

They left the office in perfect posture, and Tris collapsed against the chair.

"Holy shit," she said.

Max and Uriah went into the office.

"What?" Pedrad asked. "What happened?"

"They offered me a job."

"At the FBI?" Max asked.

"And the CIA," she answered, "whichever I prefer."

They didn't say anything.

"What'd you say?" Chief asked softly.

"I declined."

"Thank God, Prior," Uriah said. "We need you around here."

She gave a small, sad smile. "The sad thing is that if he asked me a few months ago, I probably would've said yes."

"Why?" Chief asked.

She shook her head, smiling. "I have too many important people. Mainly one in particular."

Then she got up and walked back to her desk.

 _I just made a life changing decision,_ she thought, _because of him. I stayed because of him._

She groaned with her face in her hands.

"You okay?" Uriah asked when he got back.

"I stayed because of him," she mumbled through her hands.

"Who?"

"Who do you think?" she said.

"You love him, don't you?" Uriah asked, cracking a smile.

She sighed. "Yes."

"You should tell him that."

"Absolutely not," she said adamantly. "No."

"Tris, you can't avoid him forever."

"Sure I can," Tris retorted.

Uriah just shook his head.

About and hour later, it was time for her to go home. She wasn't working late, she decided. She didn't need to deal with any shit. She was no farther than the parking lot when she heard someone shout her name.

"Tris!" the man shouted.

It was without a doubt Tobias.

She kept walking because of that undoubted fact.

"We have to talk at some point," he said as he caught up to her. "Tris, please."

She stopped in her tracks.

"Tobias, I don't know what I want, okay? One minute I'm imagining a future with you and the other I'm hating you and then the other I'm back to imagining my life with you! This is all so confusing for me! Tobias, I am so, _so_ afraid of what could happen between us in the future. Terrified, really. I mean, I don't know that I ever want kids. A husband. Maybe I just want to be alone for the rest of my life! No clue! Do you get that? I'm _terrified_ , Tobias. I like not knowing and I like being unpredictable and right now I can't handle the unpredictability. I need to know right now you're not going to lie to me ever again, because if you do—I swear to god, if you ever lie to me again—I will not hesitate to leave you." She paused. "That's a lie. I will hesitate immensely because I am so, so in love with you, but I don't know if I'll ever trust you again the same way. Do you get that?"

He didn't say anything for a minute. "Yes. I do, Tris. But I never meant to hurt you. And you're going to have to deal with me too. You're going to have to deal with my predictability, because I know that I want to be with you for a long time, and I have no plans to change that," he said pointing at her, somewhat annoyed. "And you can't be terrified of that, all right?" he said, slightly harshly.

"Well," Tris said in the same angry tone, "I guess I'll have to deal with that then."

"Good," Tobias said, still harsh, "because I love you."

"Oh yeah? Well I love you too," she said angrily. For some reason, they had the same, unkind, sharp tone throughout the seemingly good conversation.

"Well I'm gonna kiss you," he said adamantly.

"Yeah, well you better," Tris said, not a shake in her voice to prove otherwise.

That night, they ended up going back to Tobias's house to talk.

Tris sat on the couch next to Tobias.

"You aren't completely forgiven yet, you know," she said, unable to look at him.

He sighed. "I know. I'm surprised I even got this far."

"Tobias, if we're going to do this, I need to trust. If we're going to have a relationship—a real, concrete relationship—we need trust and honesty."

"I know. I really love you. A lot. I know sometimes I mess up and do things that make it seem like I don't care, but trust me. You are my _world,_ Tris."

She smiled. "I'll never forget when we first met," Tris chuckled. "I was arguing with Uri about you—well, Four—and I was so absorbed with trying to make him go away that I didn't see you coming. It was like in the real cliché high school movies where one bumps into the other and they drop all their stuff all over the ground and the other helps pick up the stuff. I remember thinking how good-looking you were with those glasses of yours," Tris chuckled again. "And the uniform. I tend to have a thing for guys in uniform."

He grinned. "You know what I thought that day?"

"What?"

He shook his head. "Max ordered me to go through all those files and organize them and stuff and I was mad. Then some person had go and run into me to make my day even better, sending the files flying. I didn't even see who it was at first; I just started to pick up the files. When I saw a woman's hand give me the file, I couldn't help but look. I remember thinking that maybe that day wouldn't be so bad. And I also remember thinking how beautiful you were that day. I thought about you the rest of the day. I mean, before I knew who you were. Tris Prior, Head Detective. But that's all. I guess I never really realized how beautiful you were."

Tris smiled. "I got a job offer today."

"Really? For where?"

"The CIA," she chuckled. "And FBI."

"Oh my god, Tris. That's amazing. Did you… Did—"

"No."

"Why the hell not? That's an amazing opportunity."

She put her face in her hands and laughed. "Because of you."

"Prior, never let me hold you back. Never ever. If you want to do this, do it. Don't let me—"

"No, Tobias. You didn't hold me back. Well, I don't know. It's hard to explain. If they would've come to me before I met you, then, yeah, maybe I would've accepted. But… things are different now and so are the circumstances. I mean… My life is here. In the Chicago PD. With you. And as cool as the CIA sounds, it's a bit too much. I like my job. I like the people at my job. My life is in Chicago. If I moved to D.C., then not only would I leave my loved ones, I'd leave myself too. You know what I mean?"

Tobias nodded. "If you have a dream, don't ever let me hold you back, okay?"

She smiled. "Okay."

"You're quite possibly one of the most amazing people I've met in my life," he told Tris.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **Epilogue**

 _So… a lot of you are mad at me for ending "such a cute story." But I'd like to move on to different ideas and explore my horizons. But don't fret, my next story, "Trademarks," is plenty fluffy. More info to come in the A/N. Enjoy :)_

* * *

 **-6 months later-**

"I am _never_ becoming chief," Tris said, chuckling. "I love being a detective way too much."

"Never say never," Tobias said.

She shrugged. "I can only see myself doing it when I'm in my forties or something, you know?"

* * *

 **-1 year later-**

"Tris Prior, Uriah Pedrad, and Tobias Eaton, please report to my office," Max said through the radio. "Tris Prior, Uriah Pedrad, and Tobias Eaton, please report to my office," he reported.

As the three walked there, Tobias whispered to Tris, "Do you think he figured us out?"

"Why would he call me down?" Uriah said. "I don't think it's about your relationship."

"You'll see," Tris said, smirking.

They entered his office hesitantly.

"Please, men, sit down," Chief said. "Tris," he said with a nod.

Tris stood next to Max's desk, hardly able to withhold a smile.

"So, Tris and I have been discussing some things. Nobody except Tris knows, but I will be retiring in one week. I've offered Tris the position of Chief, and she has…?"

She smiled. "Accepted. I accept your offer."

"All right. Well, the reason, you, Officer Eaton, are here is because I'd like to promote you to Junior Detective, and Uriah to Head Detective. Tris has helped me make these decisions. I was planning to bring a head detective over from another station, but Tris helped me decide that Uriah would be the best candidate for Head Detective. However, Officer Eaton, I've chosen you all on my own. I've seen how Tris has somewhat taken you under her wing because you wanted to get better. It shows how much you'd like to improve. I presume both of you accept your offers?"

"Yes," they both said at the same, happy grins on their faces.

Tris couldn't be happier. Her two favorite people getting what they want most. Being chief was a small price to pay for their happiness.

"All right, you all are dismissed. Get to work."

They all walked out into hallway and stood there grinning. Then they had a big hug.

"Thank you so much, Tris," Uriah said, hugging just her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you so much right now."

She laughed. "Love you too, Pedrad. Now I'll get to boss you around even more than I did before."

They laughed.

"Okay, I better go get to work. I'll leave you two to… yeah."

We laughed and waited until Uriah rounded the corner. The Chief's blinds we shut and the hallway was abandoned.

Tobias kissed her.

"I love you so much," he said.

She smiled. "I know."

* * *

 **-1 1/2 Years Later-**

"We are never leaving this place," Tris said. "I love the city way too much to move."

"Me too. There's so much more to do in the city than the stupid suburbs," Tobias agreed.

* * *

 **-2 Years Later-**

As they finish unpacking at their new place as a newly married couple, Tris groans.

"I can't believe we actually moved out to the suburbs," she chuckled.

"I know," Tobias laughed, "but I think it'll be good for us. A change of scenery."

"Yeah," Tris agreed. "We can just ride together to work every morning now. On your motorcycle. I always have loved that thing."

"Me too."

"You want to know the real reason I took the Chief position?" Tris asked.

Tobias smirked. "Shoot."

Tris stepped closer. "So I could allow inter-department relationships."

He smiled and laughed. "I already knew that."

* * *

 **-2 1/2 Years Later-**

"We are never having kids," Tris grumbled. It was 3 A.M. and the neighbors baby would _not_ stop screaming. And it was every night they'd get woken up.

"Never," Tobias agreed.

* * *

 **-** **3 Years Later-**

"Tobias," Tris said, "I think I'm pregnant." She grinned.

His eyes widened. "Oh my god. Oh… I'm gonna…? I'm gonna be a dad?"

She nodded, tears of joy swimming in her eyes.

"Oh my god," he said, hugging her. "We're going to be _parents_."

She nodded again. "Yeah."

"I love you so much, Tris," he whispered.

* * *

 **-3 1/2 Years Later-**

"We are never getting a minivan," Tobias said. "Those things are awful."

"You could say that again."

* * *

 **-4 Years Later-**

Tobias slaps the sponge onto the minivan. He splattered Tris with the soap and sprayed the hose on her.

"Tobias, you little shit!" she yelled.

He ran toward her with hose on full blast.

When he finally caught her, he trapped her against the van.

"Where's Andy?" he asked.

"Napping," Tris answered. "We've got at least another hour and a half."

He pressed his lips to hers, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her inside.

* * *

 **-4 1/2 Years Later-**

"We are never having another kid," Tobias said as he washed the crayon off the wall.

"I'm pregnant," Tris yelled as she carried the laundry upstairs.

Tobias dropped the sponge. "You're _what_?" he asked, then ran up the stairs.

"Get ready for baby #2." She smiled.

* * *

 **-6 Years later-**

Tris spotted baby #2 (also known as Jade) and Tobias sleeping on the couch. He laid on his back while Jade laid on Tobias's stomach. Three-year-old Andy laid his head on Tobias's legs since the had an L-shaped couch. This was quite possibly one of the best moments of Tris's life.

"I am never letting them go," Tris whispered to herself.


End file.
